The Veteran's low back pain syndrome has not resulted in any compensable disability rating due to the lack of evidence showing significant impairment, and his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations have consistently shown no significant limitation of motion or other functional impairment that would warrant a compensable rating for low back pain syndrome. The Veteran's symptoms are attributed primarily to non-service connected conditions, such as the L4-5 and L5-S1 disc issues noted in his MRI.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Pain Syndrome, L4-5 posterior-left disc extrusion with mild caudad migration of extruded disc material, Mild or chronic spondylosis at L5-S1 disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2016
- Citation
- 1646360
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1646360.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a knee and leg disability, including as secondary to his chronic recurrent low back pain syndrome, was dismissed. The claim for an increased rating for right S1 radiculopathy was denied prior to August 1, 2013, but granted from that date onward with the highest possible rating.
- Whole decision: Granted
The veteran's low back pain syndrome has been rated at 40 percent since the initial rating decision, with no changes in disability evaluation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The veteran's right hip injury residuals and low back pain syndrome have been rated, with the right hip receiving a 30 percent rating since December 15, 2003. The low back pain syndrome remains at 20 percent.
- Whole decision: 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.
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