The veteran's low back injury residuals are manifested by constant and extreme pain, numbness and tingling into the legs, reduced range of motion, and normal knee jerks. The VA determined that an increased evaluation beyond 40 percent is not warranted.
The deciding factor: The objective evidence does not support entitlement to a 60 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected low back injury residuals due to lack of muscle spasms, absent ankle jerk reflexes, or other neurological findings appropriate to the site of the diseased disc with little intermittent relief.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back injury residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 30, 2002
- Citation
- 0210907
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0210907.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeals for service connection for PTSD and low back injury residuals were not timely filed, resulting in their denial. The effective dates for these conditions have also been denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's initial schedular ratings for low back injury residuals and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied as his symptoms do not more nearly approximate the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted a rating of 40 percent for the service-connected residuals of a low back injury from October 27, 1997 to March 28, 1999.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected low back injury residuals and has also granted TDIU based on his unemployability due to this disability.
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