The Board has granted service connection for the aggravation of degenerative bone and disc disease L4-L5 and L5-S1 and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, but denied service connection for bilateral hip osteoarthritis.
The deciding factor: A VA examiner opined that the veteran's current degenerative bone and disc disease L4-L5 and L5-S1 and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine is aggravated by his service-connected amputation of the right lower extremity with fracture of amputation stump. However, there was no evidence to support a finding of bilateral hip disability related to service or secondary to the service-connected amputation.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative bone and disc disease L4-L5 and L5-S1, osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral hip osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- January 27, 2003
- Citation
- 0301438
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0301438.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims on appeal, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's representative also requested reevaluation of his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, sleep disturbances, a right knee disability, osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, allergic rhinitis, and patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis in the left knee. The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to support these claims.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip osteoarthritis, finding that there was no direct evidence linking his current condition to his military service and concluding that any potential secondary relationship to his service-connected knee disability was not established.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, including osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine. The Board found that there was no evidence to support direct service connection but established continuity and chronicity under VA regulations.
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