The Veteran's disability rating for compression fractures thoracic spine and degenerative changes lumbar spine is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating from May 21, 2019 forward.
The deciding factor: The VA examination reports do not show that the Veteran’s range of motion or other symptoms warrant a disability rating in excess of 40 percent from May 21, 2019 forward.
- Claimed conditions
- compression fractures thoracic spine, degenerative changes lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20043588
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 20043588.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim for a VA examination due to recent spinal surgeries and new symptoms reported by the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative changes in the lumbar spine, following a hemilaminectomy and medial facetectomy of L5-S1, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records and medical records from various healthcare providers.
- 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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