The veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease with herniated nucleus pulposus, degenerative joint disease, and lumbosacral paravertebral fibromyositis is rated at 60 percent prior to September 23, 2002, and the combined rating for all disabilities remains at 60 percent after that date.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected conditions have been evaluated based on their chronic orthopedic and neurologic manifestations under the amended criteria effective September 23, 2002, resulting in a total disability rating of 60 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease, Herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP), Degenerative joint disease, Lumbosacral paravertebral fibromyositis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- January 9, 2006
- Citation
- 0600581
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,038 · Granted: 30% (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 0600581.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the claim for a higher rating is denied. The left shoulder disability is also rated at 20 percent, but there are no incapacitating episodes to warrant a higher rating under the IVDS Formula. The TDIU claim is remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease prior to August 1, 2025 was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy prior to March 10, 2025 were denied as there is no neurological impairment associated with these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability and right leg radiculopathy are granted service connection, but left leg radiculopathy is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran seeks higher initial ratings for his back disability, but the VA examinations from the period under review are inadequate. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain an opinion as to the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's back disability during the period under review.
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