The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for anxiety disorder, lumbar spinal stenosis, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s anxiety disorder did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it did not cause deficiencies in most areas such as work or family relations. His lumbar spine disability was rated at 60 percent based on the old criteria, but should have been evaluated under the new General Spinal Formula which does not provide for a 60 percent rating. The Veteran's radiculopathy ratings were also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work or family relations due to the Veteran’s anxiety disorder, nor did it show ankylosis of the entire spine for his lumbar spinal stenosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood (Anxiety Disorder), Lumbosacral Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- A20015616
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,934 · Granted: 41% (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 A20015616.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on several conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeals.,The Board has not assigned a specific rating or effective date as the claims are being remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional error in the denial of the Veteran's request to change his vocational rehabilitation goal from diesel technology to obtaining a music degree. The case is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted, with effective dates set at October 18, 2023. The lumbosacral strain has also received a higher initial rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further medical examinations and evaluations. The issues include psychiatric disabilities, lumbosacral strain, plantar fasciitis, rheumatoid arthritis, prostate disability, erectile dysfunction, hearing loss, nasal disability, and pulmonary disability.
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