The Board has denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for a painful scar of the lower lumbar spine, as there is only one such scar and it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's single painful scar did not cover an area equal to or greater than 929 sq. cm (6.75 sq. in) and was not unstable, thus not meeting the criteria for a higher evaluation under DC 7804.
- Claimed conditions
- Painful Scar of the Lower Lumbar Spine, Degenerative Arthritis with Herniation of L5-S1 and Severe Lumbar Spondylosis L5-S1 with Left Foraminal Stenosis, Status Post L5-S1 Fusion (Thoracolumbar Spine Disability), Residuals of Stress Fractures and Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Sprain of the Right Ankle, Residuals of a Stress Fracture of the Left Ankle, Right Lower Extremity Sciatic Nerve Radiculopathy, Left Lower Extremity Sciatic Nerve Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2024
- Citation
- A24064515
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,242 · Granted: 27% (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 A24064515.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial ratings for left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, sciatic nerve and femoral nerve have been granted at a 20 percent level.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable prior to August 19, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.,The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated as 30% prior to December 1, 2022 and at a 40% rating since that date.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated as 20% prior to December 1, 2022 and at a 40% rating since that date.,The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is rated as 10% prior to August 3, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.,The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is rated as 10% prior to August 3, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.,The Veteran's left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy is rated as 20% since August 3, 2024.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated as 10% prior to August 27, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions were granted increased ratings, and attorney fees are awarded for past-due benefits resulting from these decisions.
- Granted
The Veteran's left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathies have been granted increased disability ratings of 40 percent each.,The Veteran's left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathies have been granted increased disability ratings of 30 percent each.
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