The Board denied a higher initial rating for thoracic degenerative disc disease, maintaining the 20 percent rating assigned since April 8, 2024.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding of more severe disability than currently rated during the relevant periods.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracic degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051971
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · 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 A25051971.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of November 17, 2015, for the grant of individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back pain, sleep apnea, and anxiety/panic attacks, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) effective October 12, 2018.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar strain, diagnosed as thoracic degenerative disc disease and myofascial dysfunction, and headaches that are secondary to his service-connected lumbar strain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation of his service-connected thoracic degenerative disc disease, as well as for obtaining additional medical records.
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