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Granted

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of June 21, 2012 for a 40 percent evaluation for degenerative disc disease with spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine.

The deciding factor: The severity of the overall functional impairment associated with the Veteran’s low back has been consistent since the filing of the claim for an increased rating, and is not factually ascertainable that an increase occurred within a year of her filing the increased rating claim.

Claimed conditions
Degenerative disc disease with spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
40%
Decision date
April 23, 2019
Citation
19131605

Veterans Law Judge

TANYA SMITH

Decisions by this judge: 1,828 · Granted: 32% (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 19131605.

What this means for you

A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.

What you can do next

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