The Veteran's mechanical back pain was evaluated at a 10% rating, and the issues of total disability based on individual unemployability were denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s range of motion for his mechanical back pain did not meet criteria for higher ratings due to normal findings in other areas like herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5 and L5-S1, which precluded granting a higher rating based on service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- mechanical back pain, herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5 and L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 21, 2011
- Citation
- 1102451
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 1102451.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between the current condition and active duty service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 60 percent rating for right knee osteoarthritis status post total knee replacement, restored a 20 percent disability rating for mechanical back pain, and denied compensable ratings for the right and left knee surgical scars.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the November 2019 remand directives and thus, another remand is necessary to identify all low back disabilities present during the appeal period and obtain medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his service and granted service connection for mechanical back pain and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine.
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