The Board denied an increased evaluation for the service-connected lumbosacral strain and did not reopen the claim for diabetes mellitus or grant service connection for ulcers. The veteran's low back strain is currently rated at 10 percent, which includes characteristic pain on motion.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show that the veteran has muscle spasms or marked limitation of forward bending in a standing position, which are necessary to warrant an increased evaluation under DC 5295.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, diabetes mellitus, ulcers
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 4, 2003
- Citation
- 0311456
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 0311456.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and lumbar radicopathy, right side, secondary to the lumbosacral strain.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
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