The Veteran's mechanical low back pain is rated at 30 percent, and he has a separate rating of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The Board finds service connection for a cervical spine disability secondary to his service-connected mechanical low back pain.
The deciding factor: VA examiners found that the Veteran's mechanical low back pain resulted in mild radiculopathy and an abnormal spinal contour, warranting a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5242. The VA examiner also noted intermittent mild pain of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity related to his service-connected mechanical low back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Mechanical Low Back Pain, Cervical Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 30, 2015
- Citation
- 1504643
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 1504643.
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 Veteran's cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for TMD, cervical spine disability, and FSAD have been denied.,An earlier effective date prior to August 2, 2022, for the award of service connection for these conditions has also been denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claims for erectile dysfunction and voiding dysfunction have been denied due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to his in-service exposure.,The remaining service connection claims (for bilateral feet, ankles, hip, wrist, cervical spine, upper extremity radiculopathy, psychiatric disorder, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension) are remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to assess her current and retrospective severity of these disabilities.
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