The Board found that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor is it proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA medical expert opinion concluded that the laceration sustained to the mid-back did not cause or contribute to the current degenerative process of the thoracolumbar spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 29, 2000
- Citation
- 0034068
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 0034068.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine and cervical spine, finding that the evidence was approximately balanced as to whether these conditions were caused by an injury or event during active service.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, finding that August 10, 2023, is the earliest available date based on the Veteran's claim.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for low back disabilities, including degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine and compensatory lumbar scoliosis. The decision is based on a finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty due to their progression from his in-service leg length discrepancy.
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