The Board denied increased ratings for degenerative change of the lumbar spine with strain, hearing loss, and residuals of fractured right 5th metacarpal with right hand arthritis. The claims for service connection for vision loss, left shoulder pain and limited mobility, varicose veins, and TDIU were remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's degenerative change of the lumbar spine with strain was manifested by forward flexion to 45 degrees and pain, without ankylosis. The bilateral hearing had no worse than Level I in both ears, and the right little finger disability did not demonstrate or more nearly approximate ankylosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative change of the lumbar spine with strain, Hearing loss, Residuals of fractured right 5th metacarpal with right hand arthritis, Vision loss, Left shoulder pain and limited mobility, Varicose veins, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Total disability based on individual unemployability due to the service-connected disabilities (TDIU)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051629
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted an effective date of July 31, 2012, for TDIU and October 22, 2012, for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the Appellant during its pendency.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for various disabilities and granted earlier effective dates for service connection of scars, but denied an earlier effective date for individual unemployability.
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