The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher initial rating for her lumbar spine disability and service connection for a left hip disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support an evaluation greater than 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability, nor was there sufficient evidence to establish service connection for a left hip disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Disc bulge L4-5, Degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 6, 2003
- Citation
- 0326532
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 0326532.
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.
- Denied
The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, and spinal fusion of the lumbar spine was denied as the Veteran failed to attend a necessary VA examination without good cause shown.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU are remanded due to the need for a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. Additional examinations will be performed, and the Veteran will be provided with updated VCAA notice.
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