The veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus has aggravated his nonservice-connected degenerative and discogenic disease of the lumbar spine, resulting in radiculopathy. The Board finds that this constitutes a classic Allen situation where the aggravation is proximately due to the service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: Service connection for the veteran's lumbar spine pathology was granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus because the pes planus has caused biomechanical stress in the veteran's lumbar spine, resulting in the aggravation of co-existing and otherwise unrelated lumbar spine pathology.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative and discogenic disease of the lumbar spine, bilateral leg radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 22, 2001
- Citation
- 0105415
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 0105415.
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 claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as the evidence did not show that she was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to her service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral leg radiculopathy and knee strain are less likely than not related to his active service, including heavy training activities like parachuting. The claim for service connection is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment since April 20, 2015. The Board finds the evidence of record provides a foundational basis to refer the matter for extraschedular consideration because the evidence suggests that the Veteran’s service-connected back and cervical disabilities may have prevented substantially gainful employment prior to April 20, 2015.
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