The Board has determined that the veteran's disability of the low back warrants a rating of 40 percent since March 28, 2003. Prior to this date, the evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the low back resulted in pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome since March 28, 2003, with no evidence of ankylosis or more than mild incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve. The Board found that this warranted a 40 percent rating under the revised criteria for evaluating intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a low back injury, degenerative joint disease of the low back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 2, 2006
- Citation
- 0615983
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 0615983.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error and an incomplete evidentiary record.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a low back injury is remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including SSA records and medical records from Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas, and UVA Hospital System.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development, including failing to schedule and notify him of examinations. The issues are now pending again for further development.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the service connection claims for residuals of a low back injury and post-traumatic headaches due to the Veteran's death.
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