The Board has granted an increased evaluation to 20 percent for the appellant's service-connected back strain, low back pain with degenerative arthritis.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the appellant had a mild disability of the lower back secondary to normal wear and tear of the lower facets of the lumbosacral spine, along with mild degenerative joint disease of the lower lumbar spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Back strain, Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 15, 2003
- Citation
- 0307181
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 0307181.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted a 30 percent rating, while the lumbar and lower extremity radiculopathy claims are denied. An earlier effective date for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted, and TDIU based on single service-connected disability is remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is related to an in-service bicycle accident.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine to correct a duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, neurological impairments of the upper extremities, and dismissed the TDIU claim as moot.
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