The Board granted the restoration of a 20 percent rating for the lumbar spine disability, finding that improvement was not shown under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The deciding factor: Improvement in the appellant's lumbar spine disability was not demonstrated, thus the reduction was improper.

Claimed conditions

lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and spondylolisthesis, residuals status post spine fusion

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

20%

Decision date

February 28, 2025

Citation

A25018564

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine