The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his status post discectomy L5-S1 and chronic headaches, status post resection pituitary adenoma, enlarged sella turcica were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable DCs.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been rated based on their current manifestations without considering any additional functional loss due to pain or other factors as required by VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Status post discectomy L5-S1, Chronic headaches, status post resection pituitary adenoma, enlarged sella turcica
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2015
- Citation
- 1544575
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 1544575.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, which was previously rated at 20 percent prior to July 30, 2018 and now rated at 40 percent thereafter, is granted. The Veteran also receives a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability has not been shown to meet the criteria for a higher rating, as it does not result in actual limitation of motion or function loss due to pain.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.