The Board has granted an increased evaluation of 40 percent for mechanical lower back strain with L5-S1 herniation, effective July 14, 2005. The veteran's sciatica of the left lower extremity is rated at 20 percent since June 2004.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed a significant improvement in the veteran's range of motion from the initial evaluation to the most recent one, warranting an increased rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Mechanical lower back strain with L5-S1 herniation, Sciatica of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- July 14, 2006
- Citation
- 0620485
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 0620485.
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 for a low back disability and sciatica of both lower extremities, to include as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected foot and knee disabilities, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions due to untimely filing of a Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bruxism, sciatica of the right and left lower extremities, a heart disability, hypertension, pulmonary embolism, anemia, helicobacter pylori infection, and gastroesophageal reflux disease as there was no evidence to support a current diagnosis or a link to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but a higher rating is denied.,A 40 percent rating for left lower extremity sciatica and a 40 percent rating for right lower extremity sciatica are granted.,An increased rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability remains pending.
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