The Veteran was granted a higher rating of 50 percent for his lumbar spine disability, service connection for bowel and bladder incontinence as secondary to the lumbar spine disability, TDIU from May 11, 2011, to May 10, 2012, but SMC at the housebound rate was denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and its associated symptoms were severe enough to warrant a higher rating, and his incontinence was directly related to his service-connected condition. The TDIU claim was granted due to the impact of his disabilities on employment, but SMC at the housebound rate was not warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of the lumbar spine with degenerative disc disease, Bowel and bladder incontinence
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- November 14, 2025
- Citation
- 25014021
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