The veteran's low back injury with degenerative changes, spondylosis is currently rated at 20 percent and the claim for an increased evaluation has been denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examination reports did not show any additional functional loss due to pain or other pathology that would warrant a higher rating than the current 20 percent assigned under Diagnostic Code 5293 for intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Claimed conditions
- low back injury with degenerative changes, spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 19, 2002
- Citation
- 0208164
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 0208164.
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 Board granted a 40 percent evaluation for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, a 30 percent evaluation for femoral nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), but denied an increased evaluation in excess of 40 percent for spinal stenosis and lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from March 1, 2021, and an effective date of March 1, 2021, for eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for lumbosacral strain and spondylosis, as well as entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for scoliosis and found that the reduction in the combined disability rating for bulging discs in the lumbar spine, lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and spondylosis from 40 percent to 10 percent was proper.
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