The veteran's service-connected low back disability, which included a laminectomy and degenerative spondylosis, was rated at 40 percent prior to October 2, 2003. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent is granted.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed persistent symptoms compatible with sciatic neuropathy, muscle spasm, and other neurological complaints without fracture or ankylosis of the spine.
- Claimed conditions
- laminectomy of the lumbar spine, degenerative spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 7, 2006
- Citation
- 0616552
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,435 · Granted: 22% (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 0616552.
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 Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for service-connected low back disability is denied. The evidence does not show that the condition meets or approximates the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for low back disability and entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The case is returned to the AOJ for further procedural processing, including obtaining additional information from the Veteran regarding his employment status.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative spondylosis is rated at 10 percent prior to May 4, 2020 and 20 percent thereafter. The Veteran's exercise-induced bronchospasm with intermittent cough from September 1, 2015 to February 17, 2016 is granted a compensable rating of 30 percent. The Veteran's OSA with exercise induced bronchospasm with intermittent cough from February 17, 2016 is denied any higher than the current 50 percent rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her cervical spine and left upper extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.
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