The veteran's claim for higher initial ratings for his low back disability and associated radiculopathy was denied by the RO, with a final rating of 40 percent assigned as of September 23, 2002.
The deciding factor: The VA determined that the veteran's conditions did not warrant a higher rating based on the current evidence provided.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease with herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5, Lumbosacral radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Lumbosacral radiculopathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 24, 2005
- Citation
- 0514092
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 0514092.
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
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- 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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