The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a lumbosacral strain based on the evidence showing that the symptoms associated with the lower back fall within the criteria for a 10 percent rating and do not approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the medical examination from the VA examiner was more persuasive than the private physician's examination, as it addressed flare-ups, ROM and functional limitation, objective and subjective evidence of pain and symptoms, repetitive use and additional functional limitation, repeated use over time and functional limitation, guarding and muscle spasms, abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour, muscle strength, muscle sensory, radiculopathy, ankylosis, and IVDS.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25094415
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