The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and sciatica have been granted a disability rating of 40 percent, effective from September 10, 2018. The decision also grants ratings of 20 percent for sciatica of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity associated with the lumbar spine condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms have been rated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, resulting in a rating of 40 percent due to forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine being less than 30 degrees throughout the period on appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine with Intervertebral Disc Syndrome, Sciatica of the Left Lower Extremity associated with Degenerative Joint Disease Lumbar Spine, Sciatica of the Right Lower Extremity associated with Degenerative Joint Disease Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 20, 2023
- Citation
- 23067126
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 23067126.
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 Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for erectile dysfunction, epilepsy, bowel dysfunction, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has remanded for further development regarding a higher rating.,Service connection for neck arthritis and depression as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability has been granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the appeal due to additional evidence being added to the claims file after the issuance of the October 2020 supplemental statement of case.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability due to inadequate VA examinations in 2014, 2018, and 2020. A new retrospective examination is required.
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