The rating reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent for lumbosacral degenerative joint disease (DJD) effective December 19, 2017 was improper, and the 20 percent rating is restored.,Entitlement to a rating more than 10 percent for cervical spine DJD is remanded.
The deciding factor: The reduction of the rating for lumbosacral DJD from 20 percent to 10 percent, effective December 19, 2017, was improper due to lack of sustained improvement in the Veteran's disability.,A new VA examination is needed to assess current severity and manifestations of cervical spine DJD.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbosacral Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), Cervical Spine DJD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19172083
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 19172083.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals to reopen previously denied service connection claims for various conditions, as well as increased ratings and effective date claims, have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical spine DJD and tinnitus were denied higher initial ratings.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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