The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date of the 20% rating for his low back disability is set to April 21, 2017.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran had forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, which would warrant a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolisthesis, residual right knee and left knee scars, residual wrist ganglion cyst scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19129560
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,329 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19129560.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and the need for additional medical evidence. The Veteran's lower back disability, including lumbar strain and spondylolisthesis, is being reviewed again.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a back condition, including spondylolisthesis, as the evidence did not show permanent aggravation of the preexisting condition during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for his back disability is being reviewed.
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