The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, effective February 2, 2020.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms more nearly approximated unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine since February 2, 2020, as supported by medical evidence and lay statements.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- December 18, 2025
- Citation
- 25015064
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (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 25015064.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and a separate 10 percent rating from March 21, 2016 to October 20, 2024 for right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the service-connected lumbosacral spine condition. The claim for an increased rating for the right shoulder acromioclavicular separation was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates, as well as a TDIU claim, due to additional evidence received after the last SOC and the need for an updated examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 7, 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an examination and opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disability, including whether it is related to service or his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.
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