The veteran's 20 percent rating for thoracolumbar spine disability from May 18, 2014, to July 29, 2019, is restored. The issue of a higher rating is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the AOJ's reasoning for reducing the rating was faulty and that the Veteran's functional impairment on use more nearly approximated the criteria for a 20 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25002276
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 A25002276.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to a predecisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's past medical history needs to be considered in the new examination.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disorder, gout, multiple painful joints, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as directly related to service.,The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability are both granted as directly related to service.,Both conditions were found to be at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.
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