The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his lumbar spine disability was denied, and the TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected lumbar spine disability, and there was insufficient evidence to warrant referral for extraschedular TDIU consideration.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's findings showed forward flexion limited to 45 degrees with additional functional loss during flare-ups. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for ankylosis or IVDS, and no neurological impairment was noted. The use of assistive devices like a wheelchair and crutches/walker were considered in determining the extent of disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2024
- Citation
- A24067501
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,902 · Granted: 11% (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 A24067501.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 an initial rating higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis lumbar spine, right lumbar sciatic radiculopathy, and left lumbar sciatic radiculopathy due to inadequate examination reports from February 2020.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's low back disability and remanded issues related to right lower extremity radiculopathy and service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and bilateral radiculopathy, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. As his combined rating is at least 70%, TDIU has been granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from October 21, 2013. The Board finds that TDIU is warranted for the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to August 31, 2021.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.