The veteran's chronic lumbar strain with traumatic arthritis is manifested by moderate limitation of motion and complaints of weakness in the low back and lower extremities, but his disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating higher than 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes has been evaluated as having slight limitation of motion, which corresponds to a noncompensable evaluation under DC 5295. The current 20 percent evaluation is based on this finding and the presence of traumatic arthritis.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lumbar strain, traumatic arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 28, 2003
- Citation
- 0303485
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 999 · Granted: 31% (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 0303485.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and a rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic lumbar strain. The claims for migraines and Meniere's disease are remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher rating for service-connected right ankle with traumatic arthritis (claimed as right ankle instability). The Board dismissed the appeal.
- Denied
The Board has readjudicated the claim for service connection for chronic lumbar strain due to new evidence submitted after the prior final denial. However, it was determined that the Veteran's current condition is not related to service because his actions leading to the injury were considered willful misconduct.
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