The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, as the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was evaluated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, and his range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2025
- Citation
- 25007905
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,451 · Granted: 22% (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 25007905.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left knee disability is dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes and bilateral hip acetabular tears, which are found to be proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for various conditions are being remanded due to the need to obtain outstanding treatment records from TRICARE.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has previously remanded the claim for a new records-based examination to review treatment records and address changes in the Veteran's back condition. The February 2023 examiner did not provide useful evidence as they failed to review subsequent treatment records and evaluate the disability for the interval subsequent to October 2015. The Board is therefore remanding the claim for a new records-based examination by an examiner other than those who previously failed to comply with the remand orders.
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