The veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than October 1, 2000, for a 60 percent evaluation of his service-connected back disability has been denied as there is no evidence of an earlier increase in disability and no unresolved formal or informal claims were received by VA prior to June 2001.
The deciding factor: The earliest medical evidence showing the veteran had degenerative disc disease was a private MRI report dated December 4, 2000. The effective date is set at the earliest date it became factually ascertainable that the increase in disability occurred, which is October 1, 2000.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease and lumbar spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- November 3, 2005
- Citation
- 0529537
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 0529537.
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
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- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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