The Veteran's back disability, rated at 10 percent under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine (DC 5242), is not productive of limitation of motion or other symptoms warranting a higher rating. The Board denied an increased evaluation.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show limitation of motion, muscle spasm, guarding severe enough to result in abnormal spinal contour, or incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest prescribed by a physician and treatment by a physician as required for a higher 20 percent rating under DC 5243.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19181376
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and foraminal stenosis based on a finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine to obtain a new medical opinion that considers an in-service injury after appropriate efforts are made to obtain the appellant's service treatment records.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, bilateral neuropathy below the hips, and a skin disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for further development and readjudication due to an incomplete medical nexus opinion.
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