The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for the lumbar spine condition and a TDIU, but granted entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 40 percent or 20 percent for degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine at any point, and the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine, Bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral and sciatic nerves)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2025
- Citation
- 25008450
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,272 · Granted: 31% (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 25008450.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for higher evaluations for his degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine due to outstanding treatment records and additional development being necessary.
- Denied
The Veteran's degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine was rated at 20 percent, but the Board found that it did not warrant a higher rating as there was no evidence of ankylosis or significant functional loss.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbar spine disability. Additionally, compensable evaluations are granted for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy effective December 8, 2015.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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