The Veteran's initial and subsequent claims for increased ratings for his back condition, LLE radiculopathy, and RLE radiculopathy have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent from March 12, 2014, to October 28, 2019.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's back condition and LLE/RLE radiculopathy did not result in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees; or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; muscle spasm, guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour such as scoliosis, reversed lordosis, or abnormal kyphosis. The evidence did not show IVDS with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine (back condition) with Intervertebral Disc Syndrome (IVDS), Left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, Right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26028868
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 A26028868.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals pertaining to effective dates for increased ratings of chronic lumbar strain and LLE radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran did not properly opt into the AMA system.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease and lower extremity radiculopathy, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from August 1, 2013 to November 23, 2014. The Board granted TDIU for this period.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but remanded the back disability claim for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 10, 2015, for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and granted initial ratings of 40 percent for both right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from April 10, 2015, to June 1, 2020.
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