The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for chronic disability of the cervical and thoracic spine due to new evidence submitted since the last denial in March 1974. The evidence suggests that ankylosing spondylitis may have developed during or shortly after World War II, possibly related to exposure to infectious agents like dysentery.
The deciding factor: The newly-submitted medical evidence indicates a possible link between the veteran's service and his current disability of ankylosing spondylitis.
- Claimed conditions
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2000
- Citation
- 0033099
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 0033099.
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 a rating in excess of 10 percent for ankylosing spondylitis and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployment (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, as there was no evidence that his service-connected conditions prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as there is no current diagnosis of CFS at any time during or contemporaneous to the pendency of the Veteran's appeal. The medical evidence does not support his claim of service connection for CFS.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left spontaneous pneumothorax as his claim was already granted in a prior rating decision. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and ankylosing spondylitis are remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted reopening of the claim for service connection for a low back disability, but denied the claim itself due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to service.
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