The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and a scar on the lumbar spine.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran had unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or symptoms worse than mild for his radiculopathies, which are required to assign higher ratings under the applicable criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), right lower extremity radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement, left lower extremity radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement, painful scar on the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25053649
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 Board granted an effective date of August 26, 2021, for the award of service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an increased rating of 40 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement, but remanded several other claims including service connection for a cervical spine condition, upper extremity radiculopathies, hearing loss, thrombocytopenia, and TDIU.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy and remanded the issue of a higher rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS).
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal because the rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS was restored to 20 percent, making the issue moot.
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