The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at a 20 percent rating from March 23, 2015 to May 20, 2019 and from November 12, 2019 to May 24, 2021. A higher rating is not warranted for any period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been shown to have forward flexion limited to at least 60 degrees during a flare-up and occasional muscle spasms resulting in an abnormal gait, which meet the criteria for a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5242. No evidence of favorable or unfavorable ankylosis was found.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 8, 2021
- Citation
- 21068021
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 21068021.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with lumbosacral strain due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with lumbosacral strain is rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded for further development. The issues of service connection for various other disabilities remain pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for bilateral shin splints, lumbar spine disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied due to lack of current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than December 16, 2015, for the grant of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy are also denied as there is no evidence that he filed such claims prior to this date.
- 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.
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