The Veteran's lumbar back disability, including IVDS, has been characterized by pain and limitation of motion. The VA Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent due to lack of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, or IVDS with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months.
The deciding factor: The VA Board found that the Veteran's lumbar back disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, or IVDS with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar back disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 18, 2022
- Citation
- 22064771
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 22064771.
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 Board denied service connection for a lumbar back disability, finding that the Veteran's condition did not manifest during active service or until many years after service and is not shown to be causally related to an in-service event.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar back disability, and bilateral feet disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, effective October 15, 2007. The increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for lumbar back disability, nose cancer, and soft tissue sarcoma. The soft tissue sarcoma claim was remanded due to the need for further evaluation.
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