The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back disorder was granted, with a 40 percent evaluation effective March 5, 2004.
The deciding factor: The VA determined that the veteran's current condition warranted a higher rating based on the evidence of record.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Low Back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- September 18, 2006
- Citation
- 0629609
Veterans Law Judge
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 0629609.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the low back and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's low back disability is remanded for further medical guidance to determine if it is related to his active service.
- Granted
The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disability is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability, and grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability is found to be due to an injury sustained during combat service in Vietnam. Service connection for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss are granted.
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