The Board has granted an earlier effective date of June 24, 2009 for the award of a 40 percent rating for service-connected low back strain with lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease and arthritis.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the Veteran's informal claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability dated June 24, 2009, which constituted a report of examination or hospitalization indicating worsening of the service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- low back strain, lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20022336
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 20022336.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including the one for an increased rating for low back strain.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to DIC due to a failure to obtain a medical opinion prior to the rating decision on appeal regarding whether the Veteran's arthritis was related to his period of active service, and if so, whether it contributed to his death.
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