The Board grants service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left total knee replacement.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the current low back changes are as likely as not due to the service-connected left knee disability, and by extending the benefit of the doubt to the Veteran, this connection is established.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative changes of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 20, 2009
- Citation
- 0910610
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal for reductions in ratings for post operative left femur fracture with leg length discrepancy and chondromalacia residuals, and degenerative changes of the lumbar spine.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded all issues for further development, including higher initial ratings for various conditions and effective dates for ratings and benefits.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a VA retrospective medical opinion to determine the full description of the effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his military service.
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