The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and IVDS was rated at 10 percent prior to February 8, 2016. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted for this period.
The deciding factor: The VA examination findings did not support a higher rating based on the Veteran's symptoms and range of motion limitations.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 7, 2022
- Citation
- 22001006
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 998 · Granted: 40% (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 22001006.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 case for further development, including obtaining additional medical evidence and ensuring substantial compliance with previous remand directives.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and IVDS, but granted an earlier effective date of February 1, 2023 for left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right and left upper extremity radiculopathy but denied increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and IVDS, a scar associated with it, and dismissed claims for other conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's SMC claims are remanded for further development and adjudication, including a VA examination to determine the extent of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform daily activities.
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