The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back strain, which was initially denied in July 1999.
The deciding factor: New medical records provided since the last final denial support the reopening of the claim by indicating that the veteran's current back problems likely began during his military service and worsened with manual labor.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2002
- Citation
- 0200881
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 0200881.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his low back strain based on the evidence showing that the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for low back strain and a rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve after April 26, 2024. However, it granted a 20 percent rating for the left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve prior to that date and remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.
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