The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease with IVDS of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 10 percent, but his disability does not warrant a higher rating as there is no evidence of limitation of motion or ankylosis that would justify such a rating.
The deciding factor: The objective findings do not support an evaluation in excess of the current 10 percent rating due to limited forward flexion and lack of muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness resulting in abnormal gait or spinal contour.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease with IVDS of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20031631
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 20031631.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent effective May 23, 2014. He is now rated for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was initially rated at 10 percent prior to February 8, 2013 and increased to 20 percent since that date.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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