The veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection were denied. His initial rating claim for low back pain was not granted as his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, and he did not have residuals of knee injuries.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran’s range of motion in his lumbar spine was limited by discomfort but without evidence of paraspinous muscle spasm, abnormal gait or postural abnormalities. For the right small finger fracture, there were no complications and the disability did not meet criteria for a compensable rating. The medical records did not support service connection for knee injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Low Back Pain (Herniated Nucleus Pulposus with Spinal Stenosis), Residuals of Fracture of Right Small Finger, Residuals of Right Knee Injury, Residuals of Left Knee Injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2008
- Citation
- 0841844
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0841844.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board found that the February 2006 rating decision awarding a separate 10 percent rating for residuals of left knee injury was clearly and unmistakably erroneous due to pyramiding, and thus reduced this rating. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet eligibility requirements for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Anxiety Disorder, Residuals of Right Knee Injury, and Migraine Headaches have been dismissed as the appellant has withdrawn these claims.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a right knee injury, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability evaluations under VA rating criteria.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis, residuals of right knee injury, bronchitis (claimed as a residual of tobacco use), postoperative bilateral inguinal hernias, and lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes.
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