The Veteran's recurrent low back strain is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on the current evidence.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner’s findings did not show any limitation of motion or other symptoms warranting a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Recurrent low back strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20073757
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,170 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20073757.
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: Granted
The Veteran's recurrent low back strain was granted a 40% rating from June 13, 2012 to April 27, 2014. Prior to this period and after it, the condition did not warrant higher ratings.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, cyst in pancreas, right and left Achilles tendonitis, hemorrhoids, residuals of a cholecystectomy, cataracts and glaucoma, chronic kidney disease with hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee arthritis has been reopened.
- Whole decision: Denied
The application to reopen the claim of recurrent low back strain was granted, but service connection for this condition is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hallux valgus and onychomycosis were both denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his recurrent low back strain was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 40 percent, as there is no evidence of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine of 30 degrees or less, nor unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.
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