The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with a history of myositis and associated sciatica was granted, with a final effective date of December 6, 2006. The Veteran is now rated at 40 percent for his low back disability.
The deciding factor: The most recent VA examination in December 2006 demonstrated severe limitation of motion (flexion to 65 degrees) and moderate neurological manifestations affecting the left lower extremity, warranting a 40 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5292.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with a history of myositis, sciatica of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2010
- Citation
- 1004172
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 1004172.
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 granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's sciatica of the left lower extremity, finding that the evidence supports moderate incomplete paralysis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for sciatica of the left lower extremity due to a need for an addendum opinion.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent for the right lower extremity sciatica and denied higher ratings for both left and right lower extremities, as well as service connection for incomplete paralysis of the right external popliteal nerve and TDIU.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of January 22, 2021, for the assignment of a 40 percent evaluation for service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and for the award of service connection sciatica of the left lower extremity.
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