The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for the veteran's low back disorder, effective March 25, 1998. The disability was characterized as lumbosacral strain and lumbar spine disk disease.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the veteran had a diffuse disk bulge at L4-L5 and L5-S1, which caused radicular type pain under certain situations without nerve damage associated with radiculopathy. The examiner also noted that piriformis syndrome could irritate the sciatic nerve.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, lumbar spine disk disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 8, 2002
- Citation
- 0202235
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 0202235.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and lumbar radicopathy, right side, secondary to the lumbosacral strain.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.
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