The veteran's arthritis of the lumbar spine is service-connected, and he has been granted a 10% rating for his residuals of shell fragment wounds (SGW) of the back and buttock. His right shoulder disability remains at a 20% rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports the diagnosis of degenerative changes in the lumbar spine resulting from combat injuries, which is service-connected.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis of the lumbar spine, Residuals of shell fragment wounds (SGW) of the back and buttock, Right shoulder injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 9, 2002
- Citation
- 0214009
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 0214009.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the right shoulder injury, while remanding claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic bronchitis with COPD, and GERD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD and right hand scar, but denied service connection for other claimed conditions including diabetes type II, erectile dysfunction, headaches, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, left shoulder injury, left hand injury, lower back injury, right shoulder injury, upper back injury, and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a cervical spine disability and lumbar spine disability as further development is needed to obtain an adequate medical opinion.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for various conditions as they were duplicative of other appeals.
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