The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 10 percent prior to January 15, 2015. The VA examiner found limited forward flexion of the spine (80 degrees) with pain and no ankylosis or severe guarding.
The deciding factor: The VA examination did not find evidence of ankylosis or severe guarding that would warrant a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 24, 2021
- Citation
- 21031894
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 21031894.
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 Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine DJD is denied. He currently receives a 40 percent disability rating, effective November 7, 2023.,The Veteran's sciatic radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are each rated at 40 percent disabling, effective November 7, 2023.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine DJD is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show limitation of forward flexion to 30 degrees or less, nor favorable ankylosis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to June 29, 2021, or since then. The issue of increased rating for hemorrhoids is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's DJD of the lumbar spine resulted in symptoms causing abnormal spinal contour or gait, with forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees and a combined range of motion not greater than 120 degrees. The Board granted a 20 percent rating for this period.
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