The Veteran's low back disability is granted with a 20% rating from December 20, 2012 to December 11, 2018. The claim for higher ratings for the low back and bilateral foot disabilities is denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations consistently showed that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine with scoliosis (low back disability), Bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and osteoarthritis, status post metatarsal joint replacement and metatarsal resection (bilateral foot disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 14, 2022
- Citation
- 22063345
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 22063345.
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.
- Denied
The appeal for an increased rating for left hip, the claims for entitlement to an earlier effective date and an increased rating for right knee strain, and the appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left shoulder strain were dismissed. The claim for a 40 percent rating from June 24, 2021 for degenerative disc disease was granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to a cervical spine disability due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a higher initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and scoliosis, but remanded the other issues.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease, effective November 21, 2022.
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