The Board finds that the veteran is not entitled to an effective date earlier than April 29, 1999 for the assignment of a compensable evaluation for back strain with limitation of motion.
The deciding factor: The September 4, 1997 rating decision granting service connection and assigning a noncompensable disability evaluation for degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, L5-S1, became final as the veteran did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement. The next correspondence from the veteran expressing a claim for an increased rating was dated April 29, 1999.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 6, 2006
- Citation
- 0631458
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 0631458.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for residuals of a right knee meniscal tear to include degenerative joint disease, finding that the Veteran's in-service injury led to his current condition.
- Granted
The Board granted an increased initial rating of 20 percent disabling for the Veteran's right shoulder, effective November 22, 2011.
- Granted
The veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and lumbosacral strain, based on the Veteran's consistent account of having low back problems since service.
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