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
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2003
- Citation
- 0303355
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 106 · Granted: 33% (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 0303355.
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: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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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