The Board found that the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is manifested by pain and limitation of motion, but no neurological symptoms have been associated with the disability. The criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent were not met.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show any neurological symptoms associated with the service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, which is required to meet the criteria for an increased disability rating beyond 40 percent under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 5, 2005
- Citation
- 0500260
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,555 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0500260.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back disorder, bilateral lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremity sciatic nerves, tinnitus, and GERD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Remanded (sent back)
The veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to a need for additional VA examination and consideration of recent treatment records.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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