The veteran's low back disability is the sole service-connected condition, rated at 60 percent. The Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of anatomical loss or use of extremities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show anatomical loss or loss of use of any extremities, nor was there service-connected blindness in both eyes with 5/200 visual acuity or less. The veteran's need for crutches and wheelchair is due to obesity rather than the low back disability alone.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 28, 2001
- Citation
- 0109131
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 0109131.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 40% rating for his low back condition and a 60% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, while other claims were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the claims for a right knee condition, left knee condition, and low back condition.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or event that caused these conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a rating of 50 percent for PTSD, but no higher. The claims for service connection for low back condition and right hip trochanteric pain syndrome were remanded.
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