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Granted

The Veteran's service-connected chronic low back sprain with degenerative joint and disc disease is rated at 60 percent for the entire appeal period, considering his symptoms including pain, functional loss, and intervertebral disc syndrome with incapacitating episodes.

The deciding factor: The Veteran experienced frequent flare-ups causing significant impairment in mobility and function, leading to a 60% rating based on the criteria for IVDS (intervertebral disc syndrome) with at least six weeks of total duration of incapacitating episodes during the past 12 months.

Claimed conditions
chronic low back sprain with degenerative joint and disc disease
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
60%
Decision date
May 22, 2019
Citation
19139278

Veterans Law Judge

THERESA M. CATINO

Decisions by this judge: 1,350 · Granted: 26% (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 19139278.

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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