The veteran's low back disability was initially rated at 10 percent and later increased to 20 percent. The current evaluation is maintained at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA determined that the veteran's low back condition, characterized by moderate limitation of motion and lumbosacral strain prior to October 16, 1997, and severe lumbosacral strain from October 16, 1997, met the criteria for a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5295.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 24, 2002
- Citation
- 0208289
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 0208289.
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.
- 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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