The Veteran's back disability is not rated higher than 20 percent, and his lower extremity radiculopathies are each rated at 10 percent.,The left ankle fracture residuals warrant a 20 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support the assignment of ratings in excess of those currently assigned for the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his back disability and lower extremity radiculopathies. The VA examiners found that the Veteran did not have moderate or severe incomplete paralysis as required for higher ratings under Diagnostic Codes 8520 and 5243.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Lower left extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Left ankle fracture residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19185757
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,036 · Granted: 27% (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 19185757.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was evaluated at a 20 percent rating, and the Board found that it did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the claims for psychiatric disability and sleep apnea.,Service connection was granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to a service-connected back disability, but denied for right wrist disability.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease prior to August 1, 2025 was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy prior to March 10, 2025 were denied as there is no neurological impairment associated with these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and lumbar spine disability, as well as left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, were denied. The effective dates for these conditions are also denied.
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