The Board granted service connection for chronic lumbar strain and assigned a noncompensable rating. The Veteran was also awarded a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy associated with the condition, effective from April 14, 2009.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current disability level does not meet or exceed the criteria for a compensable rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. However, his right lower extremity radiculopathy is found to warrant a separate 10 percent rating from April 14, 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic lumbar strain
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 29, 2011
- Citation
- 1143634
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 1143634.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals pertaining to effective dates for increased ratings of chronic lumbar strain and LLE radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran did not properly opt into the AMA system.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 20 percent for chronic lumbar strain, and denied other claims.
- Denied
The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU prior to April 3, 2014, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected back conditions, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The effective date for the award of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy is also being remanded.
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