The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for her service-connected low back disability is denied as the current rating of 20 percent adequately reflects the severity of her condition.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a higher evaluation based on the current criteria and available medical records do not indicate any additional functional impairment or changes in the veteran's condition that would warrant an increased rating.
- Claimed conditions
- compression fracture at L1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 18, 2004
- Citation
- 0430726
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 0430726.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to differentiate the nature and extent of his service-connected residuals of L-1 compression fracture from other conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a low back disability as secondary to service-connected compression fractures of T4, T5, and T6. The issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than May 7, 2002, for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was also addressed but is remanded.
- Granted
The veteran's low back disability, including degenerative disc disease with compression fracture at L1, is currently rated as 40 percent disabling. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher rating under the old version of Diagnostic Code 5293 for intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected residuals of back trauma with compression fracture at L1, effective from July 15, 2003.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.