The Veteran's low back disability was granted service connection with an initial rating of 20 percent effective December 30, 2005. The issues related to the right foot drop, sciatica, and sciatic sensory radiculopathy were also addressed.
The deciding factor: Service connection for a low back disability was established based on medical evidence showing degenerative disc disease with associated symptoms such as pain and limited range of motion. Effective date assignment is tied to the filing of a petition to reopen the claim in October 2002, which resulted in service connection being granted effective December 30, 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 22, 2011
- Citation
- 1127447
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 1127447.
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 claims for increased ratings for left ankle and lumbosacral spine disabilities were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at a 40 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the May 2013 rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability.
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