The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent from April 18, 2005, to November 15, 2009, for chronic low back pain with radiculopathy. The effective date for service connection was also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran's low back disability met or approximated the criteria for a higher rating from April 18, 2005, to November 15, 2009.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic low back pain with radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 20, 2012
- Citation
- 1202109
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 1202109.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for clarification on whether the Veteran is seeking to appeal solely the rating reductions or both the rating reductions and increased ratings from 1986.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance was denied as entitlement to this benefit did not arise prior to March 11, 2015.
- Partly granted
The Board has determined that service connection for bipolar disorder and depression is not warranted. The claim to reopen the finally decided claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability (previously claimed as herniated discs) was denied.
- Denied
The Board found that the January 1992 rating denial of service connection for chronic low back pain with radiculopathy did not involve CUE, and that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for low back disability.
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