The Veteran's initial rating for herniated nucleus pulpous with a history of lumbar laminectomy and lumbar myositis from July 16, 2003 to March 21, 2016 was denied. For the period beginning on June 1, 2016, his claim for an increased rating was also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.
- Claimed conditions
- Herniated nucleus pulpous, Lumbar laminectomy, Lumbar myositis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 3, 2020
- Citation
- 20023172
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 20023172.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, as well as entitlement to a TDIU prior to September 17, 2014.
- Granted
The Veteran's back brace used for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of L5-S1 and lumbar myositis caused wear or tear to his clothing in 2001. The Board granted an annual clothing allowance for the back brace but denied one for Canadian crutches, as there is no evidence of their use.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The lumbar myositis claim was not granted, as the evidence did not support a higher rating. Service connection for right hip sprain and bilateral hearing loss were also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.
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