The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability was granted a 10 percent rating from June 25, 2014 to November 20, 2015, and a 20 percent rating from November 20, 2015 to August 31, 2019. For the period after August 31, 2019, the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability was denied any higher than a 40 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s thoracolumbar spine disability did not meet or approximate criteria for an increased rating beyond 40 percent due to lack of incapacitating episodes and unfavorable ankylosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) with scoliosis of the thoracolumbar spine, Left wrist disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20006190
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (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 20006190.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will consider new evidence submitted by the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from August 6, 2008 due to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, and left wrist disabilities as there is no current evidence of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of bilateral wrist disabilities due to a lack of VA examinations and duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's complaints include bilateral wrist pain, with right wrist diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome.
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