The Board denied an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected lumbar laminectomy and diskectomy, as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support the presence of pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome with significant sciatic neuropathy or other neurological findings appropriate to the site of the diseased disc with little intermittent relief.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar laminectomy, diskectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 19, 2006
- Citation
- 0601693
Veterans Law Judge
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0601693.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's disabilities, including his service-connected conditions and associated radiculopathy, prevented him from maintaining substantially gainful employment as of July 1, 2022. The effective date for the TDIU award is now set to July 1, 2022.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine disability prior to January 9, 2020 and from January 9, 2020 onwards due to insufficient discussion of the ameliorative effects of medications used by the Veteran.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, and lumbar laminectomy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for his lumbar spine disability and bilateral radiculopathy of the lower extremities have been dismissed due to his explicit, unambiguous requests to withdraw these appeals.
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