The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine prior to May 7, 2013 was denied. A 40 percent rating is granted since that date. The claims for increased ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities were also denied.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support a higher rating for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis prior to May 7, 2013, as his range of motion was still within the 40 percent criteria. Since that date, he has been rated at 40 percent due to limited flexion.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (to include PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 20, 2021
- Citation
- A21017030
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 A21017030.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the July 2019 rating decision.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and radiculopathies of both lower extremities have been granted, with effective dates from December 3, 2020, to October 7, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD and tinnitus are granted service connection, while anxiety is denied. The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome do not meet the criteria for service connection.,Service connection for left elbow tendinitis is remanded due to lack of evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran is not eligible for PCAFC benefits due to a lack of personal care services and supervision. The decision will be remanded to allow for further review by VA.
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