The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease and IVDS is granted, with a disability rating of 40 percent effective from December 5, 2017. The appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine condition resulted in forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, meeting the criteria for a disability rating of 40 percent under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The effective date remains from December 5, 2017.
- Claimed conditions
- right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 24, 2024
- Citation
- A24068513
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 709 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A24068513.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for middle and index trigger finger/stenosing tenosynovitis of the right hand, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The earliest effective date is June 30, 2012, for the right hand condition and April 22, 2016, for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the now service-connected lumbar spine condition. The decision is based on a finding of relative equipoise in the evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service.
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