The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected gunshot and shrapnel wounds to his left hip and leg have caused or aggravated his degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and left hip.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions indicate that the veteran's back and hip conditions are related more to his prolonged and vigorous pursuit of physical activities than to his service-connected disabilities, but were also caused by these service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, Degenerative joint disease of the left hip
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 6, 2004
- Citation
- 0427644
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 0427644.
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
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- Remanded (sent back)
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- Denied
The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical strain with spinal fusion is rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings were denied as he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause, and the evidence did not show an increase in severity of his service-connected conditions.
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