The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 1, 2018 for a staged 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's back disability (degenerative thoracic spine disease and scoliosis compression fractures T9-T11). The earliest effective date available is based on the fact that the Veteran had limited, painful motion in April 2018 and September 2018, within a year of his March 29, 2019 claim for an increased disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Board found it was factually ascertainable that the Veteran had limited, painful motion of his back in April 2018 and September 2018, which is when he filed his claim for a higher disability rating. The earliest effective date available for the increased rating is October 1, 2018, the day after his discharge from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative thoracic spine disease, Scoliosis compression fractures T9-T11
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 22, 2024
- Citation
- A24020084
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 A24020084.
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.
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The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected degenerative thoracic spine disease, history of residual fracture, transverse process L-1 vertebra and low back strain is denied. The Board found that the current evidence does not support a higher rating based on the severity of his disability.
- Denied
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- Denied
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- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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