The Veteran's service-connected post-injury lumbar paraspinal tendonitis with degenerative disease and retrolisthesis is currently rated at 20 percent, effective December 31, 2012. The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent due to the lack of functional limitation resulting in flexion of 30 degrees or less.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show functional limitation resulting in flexion of 30 degrees or less, incapacitating episodes, or ankylosis. The Veteran's symptoms are consistent with a 20 percent evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- post-injury lumbar paraspinal tendonitis with degenerative disease and retrolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19196829
Veterans Law Judge
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 19196829.
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