The Veteran's lumbosacral spine condition was rated at 10 percent prior to November 7, 2019, and a higher rating is denied. Since then, the Veteran has been granted a 20 percent disability rating for his left lower extremity radiculopathy.,For the period since September 27, 2021, the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbosacral spine condition and associated left lower extremity radiculopathy were evaluated based on their respective Diagnostic Codes (5242 for the spine and 8520 for the radiculopathy). The evidence supported a higher rating than what was initially granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Changes of the Lumbosacral Spine, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy associated with Service-Connected Mild Degenerative Changes of the Lumbosacral Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23001344
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (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 23001344.
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 Veteran's claim for increased ratings for degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine and lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. The Veteran is currently receiving a 10% rating for each condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his service-connected degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine status post-operative diskectomy and fusion, L5-S1 was denied. The rating assigned prior to December 12, 2018, is 10 percent, and after that date is 20 percent.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, especially PTSD with major depressive disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that TDIU is warranted.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been rated, with the exception of the residuals of right tibia stress fractures and pseudofolliculitis barbae, which are assigned noncompensable ratings. The RO has granted a 10 percent rating for degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine.
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