The Board has granted an initial rating of 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease and bulged disc at L4-L5, effective since the grant of service connection.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supported a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5293 due to the presence of muscle spasms, neurological abnormalities, limitation of motion, and additional functional loss due to persistent pain and flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine at L5-S1, bulged disc at L4-L5
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 7, 2001
- Citation
- 0115727
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 0115727.
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 Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that his range of motion testing showed thoracolumbar forward flexion functionally greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to incomplete development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, determine the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability, and consider whether referral for extra-schedular consideration is warranted.
- Denied
The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine at L5-S1 is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, and his claim for an increased rating has been denied.
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