The veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, and he has service connection for a right eye peripheral retinal hole, hemorrhoid disability manifested by bleeding during bowel movements, and prostate cancer. The Board finds no basis to grant additional evaluations for the other conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports an evaluation of 40 percent for the service-connected low back disability due to severe functional loss to pain. There is no evidence of incapacitating episodes or unfavorable ankylosis that would warrant a higher rating under the revised spine rating criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disability, right eye peripheral retinal hole, hemorrhoid disability manifested by bleeding during bowel movements, joint pain, sleep disorder, sinus disorder, digestive disorder (heartburn and indigestion), disability manifested by groin pain, prostate cancer, coldness in the lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 30, 2006
- Citation
- 0602591
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,599 · Granted: 37% (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 0602591.
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
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- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was granted with an initial evaluation of 50 percent, effective September 24, 2007. The appeal regarding the heart condition and sleep disorder is denied. The Veteran's hearing loss prior to August 24, 2015, warrants a 20 percent rating.
- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, bone cancer, and lymph node cancer has been granted. The prostate cancer is presumed due to herbicide agent exposure during service at RTAFB Takhli. Bone cancer is secondary to the service-connected prostate cancer. Lymph node cancer is also considered secondary to prostate cancer.
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