The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is rated at 20 percent since March 31, 2017. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed limited motion and pain but no ankylosis or other factors warranting a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5243.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20004222
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 1, 2016, for the 40 percent rating assigned for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of June 1, 1996, for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine because the Veteran did not receive notice of the initial denial in 1996 and his claim remained pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to higher ratings for degenerative disc disease and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient medical evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the back disability prior to April 13, 2017, and a 40 percent rating from August 2, 2019, to December 30, 2019, but denied higher ratings in other periods. The Board also remanded several service connection claims.
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