The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability rating and service connection for a psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no factual basis to grant earlier effective dates.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the increase in low back disability had occurred prior to February 5, 1997.
- Claimed conditions
- postoperative residuals of lumbar laminectomy at L5/S1, acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 4, 2006
- Citation
- 0613024
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,555 · Granted: 19% (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 0613024.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's headaches are granted service connection as they are secondary to his service-connected temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) is denied due to lack of in-service disease or injury. Service connection for left hip, right hip, and cervical spine disabilities is also denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for asthma has been granted. The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) and migraine headache is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a gynecological disability (claimed as dysfunctional uterus syndrome), calcified granuloma, asthma, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and lumbosacral and left ankle disabilities. These claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions in light of potential toxic exposure from service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for chronic blood disorder in urine, penile dysfunction, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder (previously claimed as irritable bowel dysfunction), acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and sleeping disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
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.