The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for low back strain with disc protrusion at L5-S1, effective September 1, 2003. The separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity remains unchanged.
The deciding factor: The October 2003 VA examination showed moderate limitation of motion in the thoracolumbar spine, which resulted in a 20 percent disability rating under DC 5292. The veteran's radiculopathy was rated separately and did not warrant an increase.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain with disc protrusion at L5-S1, Radiculopathy, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 10, 2006
- Citation
- 0624274
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,036 · 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 0624274.
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 Veteran's service connected thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the right upper and lower extremities, and radiculopathy of the left upper and lower extremities are all remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an increased initial rating for a low back disability and radiculopathy, right and left lower extremities due to a need for additional evidence.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for SLAP tear, right upper extremity and denied service connection for radiculopathy, left lower extremity. Service connection was granted for radiculopathy, right lower extremity effective September 13, 2021.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal of proposed rating reductions for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy, left lower extremity, due to procedural defects in the Veteran's notice of disagreement. The issue regarding a compensable rating for migraine headaches was remanded.
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