The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40% effective March 19, 2021. The appeal for higher ratings prior to this date is denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s back disability resulted in forward flexion limited to 80 degrees and extension limited to 10 degrees with pain, without favorable ankylosis or IVDS with incapacitating episodes during the past year.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease with spondylolisthesis, thoracic spine strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21061503
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 352 · Granted: 37% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 21061503.
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 remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and thoracic spine strain as an adequate medical nexus opinion is not available.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for thoracic spine strain to obtain a more accurate medical evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for thoracic spine strain, lumbar spine strain, degenerative arthritis, and intervertebral disc syndrome to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran had a period of active service from March 2012 to October 2012, and remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his claims. The claims are now pending.
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