The VA has granted service connection for the veteran's lumbar spine disorder and assigned a 10 percent rating since January 1, 2002. The condition is currently manifested by chronic low back pain with intermittent episodes of increased pain, weakness, and spasms but without limitation of motion or evidence of incapacitating episodes.
The deciding factor: The veteran's lumbar spine disorder has been evaluated under the criteria for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) since September 23, 2002. The condition is currently rated at 10 percent based on mild symptoms and no incapacitating episodes over the past 12 months.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative changes at L4-5, status post laminectomy for herniation (lumbar spine disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 2, 2006
- Citation
- 0616171
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,669 · Granted: 23% (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 0616171.
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.
- Denied
The VA denied the veteran's claim for a higher initial rating of 10 percent for his lumbar spine disorder, finding that since January 1, 2002, his disability has been manifested by chronic low back pain and intermittent episodes of increased pain, weakness, and spasms without limitation of motion or evidence of incapacitating episodes.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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