The Board has determined that the veteran's post-operative residuals of a herniated disc at L4-5 qualify for a 60 percent evaluation, which is the highest available rating under Diagnostic Code 5293.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found that the veteran's left foot drop and other symptoms are due to his service-connected back disability, but also noted that the primary over-riding condition now is his CVA residuals. The Board has resolved all doubt in favor of the veteran and granted a 60 percent evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- post-operative residuals of a herniated disc at L4-5
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- February 26, 2003
- Citation
- 0303355
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 106 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0303355.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed in the appellant's case, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to evaluate his service-connected post-operative residuals of a herniated disc at L4-5. The RO will then re-evaluate his claim under both the old and new rating criteria for intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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