The Veteran's back disability is granted a 40 percent rating beginning January 21, 2014. The issue of service connection for right and left ankle disabilities has been remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's functional loss was equivalent to favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, warranting a 40 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, disc disease, intervertebral disc syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- August 18, 2023
- Citation
- 23046036
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 23046036.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the eligibility determination for PCAFC enrollment to be legally inadequate and remanded for a new medical opinion that adequately addresses the criteria for eligibility as set forth in VA regulations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the now service-connected lumbar spine condition. The decision is based on a finding of relative equipoise in the evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors, including inadequate medical opinions and missed VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is being returned to the RO for further action.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome and left lower extremity radiculopathy were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.
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