The veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for low back syndrome, but granted compensable evaluations for dry skin of the feet.
The deciding factor: The VA schedule of ratings does not allow for an evaluation higher than 10 percent for lumbosacral strain without additional criteria being met (such as muscle spasm on extreme forward bending or loss of lateral spine motion). The veteran's symptoms did not meet these criteria, and her limitation of motion was only slight.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back syndrome, Irritable bowel syndrome with abdominal pain and hiatal hernia, Patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee, Patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, Degenerative joint disease of the right wrist, hand, and metacarpal-phalangeal joints, Degenerative joint disease of the left wrist, hand, and metacarpal-phalangeal joints, Diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2002
- Citation
- 0215415
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 0215415.
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: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of ambulance travel expenses incurred on June 17, 2025 due to an emergency heart attack. The ambulance service was provided by a volunteer organization and later intercepted by a higher-tier EMT company.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection for cause of death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 28, 2021. From September 28, 2021 to May 22, 2022, the Veteran had a combined total disability rating of 100%, which rendered the issue moot as he was already receiving SMC based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and diabetes mellitus, but granted TDIU for the period prior to January 26, 2024.,Prior to this decision, the Veteran withdrew his claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus.
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