The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, finding that it is presumed to have been incurred during the Veteran's service due to degenerative joint disease and traction spurs.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted based on the presumption under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a) for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, as evidenced by X-ray findings a few months after discharge from service.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 27, 2009
- Citation
- 0919643
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 0919643.
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 has granted service connection for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and arthritis of the cervical spine, attributing these conditions to a motor vehicle accident in 1977 during active service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were consistent with known facts and circumstances of service.
- Granted
The veteran's rating for back disability was restored to 40 percent because the evidence did not show improvement during flare-ups.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for headaches as secondary to service-connected allergic sinusitis. The issues of whether the character of discharge and service connection for psychiatric disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, arthritis of the cervical spine, and arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine are remanded.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.