The Board finds that an effective date of May 12, 1995 is warranted for a 20 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's low back disability. The criteria for a 20 percent rating were met on this date.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the veteran's symptoms and disability level reached the criteria for a 20 percent disability evaluation as of May 12, 1995.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease, Low back strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 26, 2001
- Citation
- 0102271
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 0102271.
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 appeal for an increased rating for left hip, the claims for entitlement to an earlier effective date and an increased rating for right knee strain, and the appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left shoulder strain were dismissed. The claim for a 40 percent rating from June 24, 2021 for degenerative disc disease was granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to a cervical spine disability due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased rating for low back strain to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including the side effects of medication taken to treat his back disability, precluded substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.
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