The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain, with disc disease and degenerative arthritis. The RO had previously granted service connection and assigned a 10 percent initial rating in April 1998, which was increased to 20 percent in October 1998, and finally to 40 percent in December 1998. The Board found that the veteran's disability did not warrant an evaluation higher than 40 percent under the applicable criteria.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with disc disease and degenerative arthritis was evaluated as 40 percent disabling, which is the maximum rating available for this condition based on limitation of motion. The Board determined that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation under any other criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, disc disease, degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- February 10, 2006
- Citation
- 0604014
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,421 · Granted: 29% (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 0604014.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of a lumbosacral strain, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.
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