The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS prior to December 15, 2018 and since that date was denied. The Board found no evidence supporting higher ratings based on the criteria provided.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support a higher rating based on forward flexion or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine, muscle spasms or guarding resulting in abnormal gait or spinal contour, incapacitating episodes of IVDS, or degenerative arthritis with involvement of two major or minor joints.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19136383
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,162 · Granted: 21% (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 19136383.
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
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- Dismissed
The appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS is dismissed as it has been subsumed by a previous remand.
- Granted
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- Remanded (sent back)
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