The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on either incapacitating episodes or unfavorable ankylosis.

The deciding factor: The evidence of record does not show that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain is manifested by unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or by incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months as required under the 60 percent rating criteria.

Claimed conditions

lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, spinal stenosis

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

40%

Decision date

November 28, 2025

Citation

A25102614

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine