The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 10 percent prior to March 28, 2022 and 20 percent thereafter. The Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are each rated at 10 percent.,The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right knee patellofemoral syndrome are both currently rated at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not find any evidence of ankylosis, muscle spasms severe enough to result in abnormal gait or spinal contour, or incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest by a physician. The Veteran's range of motion was within normal limits and he did not report experiencing flare-ups that significantly limited his function.,The VA examinations found no evidence of ankylosis, muscle spasms severe enough to result in abnormal gait or spinal contour, or incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest by a physician. The Veteran's range of motion was within normal limits and he did not report experiencing flare-ups that significantly limited his function.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the Lumbar Spine, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy, Left Knee Patellofemoral Syndrome, Right Knee Patellofemoral Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2023
- Citation
- 23011812
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 23011812.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, without considering the ameliorative effects of any medication he uses.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy has been granted a 30 percent disability rating since November 29, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is likely due to his service-connected lumbar spine and radiculopathy conditions, with tramadol use possibly causing the condition by October 25, 2012. The effective date for ED will be remanded.,Due to the inextricably intertwined nature of the issues, including the need to determine if tramadol caused ED prior to August 30, 2013, the SMC issue is also remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and has remanded his claims for initial rating determinations due to the need for additional medical opinions.
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