The Veteran's back condition did not manifest ankylosis or incapacitating episodes during the period on appeal. The Board denied a higher disability rating for DJD of the lumbar spine.,The Veteran withdrew his claim for increased tinnitus prior to the promulgation of a decision by the Board.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish that the Veteran manifested ankylosis or incapacitating episodes, which are required for a higher disability rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.,The Veteran withdrew his claim for increased tinnitus prior to the promulgation of a decision by the Board.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the Lumbar Spine, Tinnitus, Persistent Depressive Disorder with Persistent Major Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Radiculopathy of the Right Lower Extremity, Radiculopathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Persistent Depressive Disorder with Persistent Major Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (TDIU), Erectile Dysfunction, Scar located on the Lumbar Spine, Scar located on the Scrotum
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19154502
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 19154502.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
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