The Veteran's lumbosacral sprain and associated conditions are rated at 40 percent effective from November 13, 2018. Separate ratings of 20 percent each are granted for lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the right and left lower extremities. A rating of 10 percent is granted for instability in the right knee.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbosacral sprain resulted in a 40% rating effective from November 13, 2018 due to moderate neurological involvement (femoral nerve) affecting both lower extremities. Separate ratings of 20 percent each are granted for radiculopathy affecting the right and left lower extremities since these conditions were found to be separate from the lumbosacral sprain. The Veteran's instability in the right knee is rated at 10%.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral sprain, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- August 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19166571
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 631 · 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 19166571.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors, including inadequate medical opinions and missed VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is being returned to the RO for further action.
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