The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease, finding that the veteran's current low back disability is due to an injury during active duty for training (ACTDUTRA) in July 1999. The Board also found that his now service-connected lumbosacral strain may have aggravated his pre-existing degenerative disc disease.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports a finding of the onset of a chronic low back disability during service, and the Board determined that it is at least as likely as not (50% likelihood) that the veteran's current degenerative disc disease was caused or aggravated by his now service-connected lumbosacral strain.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- May 12, 2004
- Citation
- 0412344
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 0412344.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and lumbar radicopathy, right side, secondary to the lumbosacral strain.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.
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