The Veteran's service-connected back disability is rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis and thus cannot grant a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no unfavorable ankylosis in the thoracolumbar spine, which is required for a 50% rating under Diagnostic Code 5242.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine with spinal stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19190980
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 19190980.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine with spinal stenosis higher than 10 percent from April 3, 2015, through December 4, 2018, and higher than 20 percent from December 5, 2018, through March 8, 2021.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the spine with spinal stenosis and multiple types of radiculopathy.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with spinal stenosis, finding that it is proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected varicose veins in her left and right lower extremities.
- Denied
The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine with spinal stenosis was not found to meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating prior to November 10, 2009. From November 10, 2009 to March 6, 2013, he received a 10 percent rating. The 20 percent rating from March 7, 2013 to April 2, 2015 was granted. Since then, the Veteran's condition has not met or approximated the criteria for a higher rating.
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