The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease (lumbar DDD) was granted, and he is now rated at 20 percent. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity femoral nerve remains denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar DDD symptoms more nearly approximated forward flexion between 30 and 60 degrees with abnormal lordosis, warranting a 20% rating under DC 5242. The RLE femoral nerve symptoms did not meet the criteria for moderate incomplete paralysis.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease (lumbar DDD), right lower extremity femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26025229
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 A26025229.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in loss of use of the bilateral lower extremities, and therefore he is not entitled to special monthly compensation based on such.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for higher initial ratings of the service-connected sciatic and femoral nerves in the lower extremities due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected lumbar spine disability, sciatic radiculopathies of the bilateral lower extremities, and femoral radiculopathies are remanded due to inadequate examination findings. The AOJ is instructed to schedule a new VA examination and obtain any outstanding VA treatment records.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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