The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back injury with radiculopathy, finding that the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed no more than moderate intervertebral disc syndrome prior to September 2002 and no severe lumbosacral strain or unfavorable ankylosis of the spine thereafter, which precluded a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back injury with radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 3, 2006
- Citation
- 0603199
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,055 · Granted: 31% (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 0603199.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that the right clavicular fracture did not result from VA treatment or vocational rehabilitation.
- Granted
The Board has granted a disability rating of 60 percent for the residuals of a low back injury with radiculopathy, effective from the day following the veteran's separation from service. Ratings in excess of 20 percent have been denied for right shoulder strain and left shoulder strain, and ratings in excess of 10 percent have been denied for right carpal tunnel syndrome and left carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- 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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