The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability based on the evidence of record.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran's range of motion was functionally limited to a degree that would support a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- multilevel degenerative changes of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2025
- Citation
- A25049665
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,329 · 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 A25049665.
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 Veteran's TDIU claim for service-connected disabilities is granted, and his increased rating claim for the lumbar spine disability prior to May 4, 2021, is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied a higher rating for the appellant's service-connected lumbar spine disability prior to May 4, 2021 and from May 4, 2021. The issues of service connection for left arm disability, hypertension, heart disorder, and TDIU are remanded due to need for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to June 18, 2014, in excess of 20 percent from June 18, 2014 to April 26, 2017, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter for multilevel degenerative changes of the lumbar spine.
- Granted
The Veteran's back disorder, diagnosed as multilevel degenerative changes of the lumbar spine status post lumbar fusion, is etiologically related to in-service injuries consistent with his combat service in Southwest Asia. As a result, the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
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