The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spondylosis and denied his claim for an earlier effective date for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability. The veteran was not granted any new ratings or effective dates.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes, and there was no established unemployability prior to July 24, 2001.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2006
- Citation
- 0609613
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,977 · Granted: 27% (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 0609613.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for his lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spondylosis and TDIU were dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as the appellant passed away during the pendency of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spondylosis from November 25, 2009, to November 17, 2019.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spondylosis and left lower extremity neuropathy, as well as his claim for a total disability evaluation due to individual unemployability. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to assess the severity of these conditions.
- Denied
The veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria for such an award.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.