The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine and associated radiculopathy have been rated at 10% prior to December 22, 2017, and at 40% thereafter. The claim for TDIU has been denied prior to December 22, 2017, but granted from that date.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine resulted in forward flexion of no worse than 80 degrees prior to December 22, 2017, and no worse than 20 degrees thereafter. The radiculopathy was rated based on moderate symptoms in both lower extremities.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity sciatic nerve, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity sciatic nerve, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity femoral nerve, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19146906
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,037 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19146906.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there is a need for additional medical examination and opinion to address the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability, including DDD of the lumbar spine. The current VA opinions are deemed inadequate due to their failure to consider the Veteran's lay reports of in-service injury and continuous symptomatology since service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than January 18, 2022, for the grant of initial 20 percent ratings for his low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were denied.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than January 18, 2022, for the grant of initial 20 percent ratings for his right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy and bilateral lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy were denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied as his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and bilateral hearing loss, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
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