The Veteran's low back disability was found to be related to his second period of active service, and he is now rated at 30 percent for this condition. The rating for posttraumatic stress disorder remains unchanged.
The deciding factor: Service connection granted based on direct evidence showing the current disability is due to a disease or injury incurred in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0916986
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 0916986.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 10 percent prior to July 2, 2010 and has not met the criteria for higher ratings.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from January 3, 2007, to April 16, 2008. The evidence showed that the Veteran's service-connected conditions prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for back disability and increased rating for left knee disability prior to January 30, 2019. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of left total knee replacement from March 1, 2020 onwards is also remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his lower back disability and any associated radiculopathy.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.