The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not demonstrate forward flexion limited to less than 30 degrees, ankylosis, or incapacitating episodes lasting four to six weeks in duration as required for higher ratings under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) with neural foraminal narrowing and arthritis of the cervical spine, Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) with neural foraminal narrowing, epidural lipomatosis, dural sac vacuum phenomenon, disc protrusion, and spondylosis of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20058240
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 20058240.
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
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- Granted
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