The Veteran's degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine is secondary to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left hip and has been granted service connection.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established on a secondary basis due to aggravation of the low back disorder by the service-connected left hip disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disk 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
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 29, 2010
- Citation
- 1044549
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 1044549.
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 multiple disabilities, including various musculoskeletal conditions and mental health disorders.
- Partly granted
The Board grants service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), degenerative joint disease of the left hip, and degenerative joint disease of the right hip.,The Board grants service connection for bilateral tinea pedis.,The Board denies service connection for hypertension.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for somatic symptom disorder, left knee osteoarthritis, and headaches. The Veteran was also granted increased ratings of 20 percent for degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine and 40 percent for status post ligament damage and acromioclavicular repair of the right shoulder with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and acromioclavicular joint degenerative joint disease.
- Partly granted
The veteran's PTSD rating was increased to 70% from December 7, 2009 to April 29, 2021. The effective date for DEA eligibility was granted as of January 28, 2021. However, the request for an earlier effective date for SMC and a higher level of SMC were denied.
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