The Board granted service connection for chronic low back strain and assigned a 20 percent evaluation from March 24, 2000. The veteran's condition is rated based on moderate limitation of motion of the lumbar spine.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence demonstrated slight limitation of motion but also showed limitations in endurance due to pain, which were equivalent to moderate limitation of motion under Diagnostic Code 5292.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic low back strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2003
- Citation
- 0300946
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,987 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0300946.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for effective dates prior to September 27, 2024, for the awards of service connection for various knee and back conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from April 29, 2018.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for a lower back disability and remanded claims for a higher rating, TDIU, and extraschedular consideration.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating and earlier effective date of service connection for his back disability was partially granted, with a 40 percent disability rating assigned from May 10, 2010. The claim for an earlier effective date was denied.
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