The RO granted service connection for mechanical low back pain effective from November 18, 1997. The veteran's claims of increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied.
The deciding factor: The RO found that the veteran's claim was not timely filed as a NOD to the June 1996 rating decision denying service connection for mechanical low back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondromalacia, Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 22, 2004
- Citation
- 0426304
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 0426304.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in previous examinations, requiring additional information on right shoulder ROM measurements without medication effects.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, specifically whether it is directly related to service. The Veteran was provided a VA examination but did not receive an opinion on this issue.
- Granted
The Veteran's disability ratings for low back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been reduced from 40% and 10%, respectively, to 20% and 0%. The reduction was based on improvements shown in recent VA examinations.
- Denied
The Veteran's right knee strain with arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum allowable rating under Diagnostic Code 5010 prior to February 7, 2021. The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia and irritable bowel syndrome is not rated higher than 30 percent.
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