The Veteran's DDD was rated at 10 percent from July 29, 2016 to June 28, 2018. The appeal is denied as the criteria for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent have not been met.,Service connection for radiculopathy in the right lower extremity (sciatic) was granted with a 20 percent initial rating from June 28, 2018. The effective date is denied as it has not been established that entitlement to this service connection arose before June 28, 2018.,Service connection for radiculopathy in the left lower extremity (sciatic) was granted with a 20 percent initial rating from June 28, 2018. The effective date is denied as it has not been established that entitlement to this service connection arose before June 28, 2018.,Service connection for radiculopathy in the right lower extremity (femoral) was granted with a 20 percent initial rating from June 28, 2018. The effective date is denied as it has not been established that entitlement to this service connection arose before June 28, 2018.,Service connection for radiculopathy in the left lower extremity (femoral) was granted with a 20 percent initial rating from June 28, 2018. The effective date is denied as it has not been established that entitlement to this service connection arose before June 28, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's DDD did not meet the criteria for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent from July 29, 2016 to June 28, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disk Disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19166866
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (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 19166866.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development and lack of compliance with prior remand directives. The appellant seeks service connection for a low back disability, which includes degenerative disk disease (DDD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to decide the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, a back disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current DDD and an in-service injury. The Board concluded that the Veteran’s job as a railroad worker after service was more likely responsible for his condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine was increased to a 40 percent rating effective March 6, 2017. The current disability rating is based on his current symptoms and does not exceed what was previously assigned.
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