The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his low back disability and a TDIU rating, finding that his service-connected low back disorder did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on its current symptoms.
The deciding factor: The veteran's low back disorder was evaluated under the old and new versions of the spine rating criteria. The evidence showed mild to moderate symptoms with occasional flare-ups and some mild functional impairment, which did not warrant an increased rating from his current 20% disability level.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back injury with degenerative changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 13, 2005
- Citation
- 0510496
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 0510496.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's residuals of a low back injury with degenerative changes, effective from January 11, 2012. The Veteran also received a separate 10 percent evaluation for left leg radiculopathy.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back injury with degenerative changes, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability related to service and concluding that the current condition is not linked to any in-service event or occurrence.
- 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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