The Veteran's low back disability is granted an increased rating of 40 percent effective June 2, 2011. The right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy are each granted a 20 percent rating effective October 11, 2021. Service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability is also granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's low back disability was found to have forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less throughout the period on appeal, warranting a 40 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy were each rated at 20 percent based on moderate incomplete paralysis.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disability, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Hiatal Hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 23, 2024
- Citation
- 24003321
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,934 · Granted: 41% (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 24003321.
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 decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to obtain private treatment records from Mays & Schnapp Pain Management and schedule the Veteran for additional medical examinations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, including diagnosed degenerative arthritis with DDD other than intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis status post L3, L4, and L5 laminectomy. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury and his ongoing symptoms since then.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder disability, low back condition, bilateral knee disabilities, and left shoulder strain have been granted service connection. The Veteran's low back condition has been increased to a 40 percent evaluation, while the bilateral knee conditions remain at their current 10 percent evaluations.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there is no persuasive evidence of current diagnoses or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
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