The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral laminectomy, fusion, spondylosis, and spondylolisthesis as they are related to active military service.,Service connection was also granted for hypertension. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is considered secondary to his newly service-connected diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The VA physician concluded that the low back disorder likely started during active service, placing the evidence in equipoise and granting the claim based on the benefit of doubt.,Service connection was granted for hypertension as it is related to a pre-existing disability (diabetes mellitus). The peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is considered secondary to the newly service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral laminectomy, lumbar fusion, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0942364
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 0942364.
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 a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and an incomplete record of chiropractic care. The Veteran is requested to provide or authorize VA to obtain his treatment records from chiropractors, and an addendum opinion will be provided by a VA examiner.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome and left lower extremity radiculopathy were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and the need for additional medical evidence. The Veteran's lower back disability, including lumbar strain and spondylolisthesis, is being reviewed again.
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