The veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and thoracic spine is currently rated at 40 percent from July 11, 1996 to October 7, 1996, increased to 60 percent effective August 21, 1998.,The veteran's service-connected right lower extremity sciatic neuropathy and left lower extremity sciatic neuropathy are both rated at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the veteran's current symptoms were due to his sacroiliac injury, which was aggravated by his degenerative spine disease.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease, Lumbar and Thoracic Spine, Sacroiliac Injury and Weakness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 15, 2003
- Citation
- 0316108
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 0316108.
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 was granted an earlier effective date of December 9, 2022, for a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD and DEA benefits. The claim for SMC at the 's' rate for housebound status was denied.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to her service-connected disabilities, which include posttraumatic stress disorder and various musculoskeletal conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted a higher level of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(t) for the Veteran's residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), effective March 2, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to consider the appropriate initial evaluations for his service-connected low back disabilities and radiculopathy of the bilateral sciatic nerves, including consideration of whether a higher rating may be assigned under all applicable former and current Diagnostic Codes. The TDIU issue is also being remanded.
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