The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was dismissed due to withdrawal. The claim for service connection for a low back disability was reopened and granted as the evidence established that his current degenerative disk disease is etiologically related to active duty service.
The deciding factor: The new evidence provided by the Veteran's VA treatment records established a link between his in-service injury and his current degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine, which met the criteria for direct service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- February 15, 2011
- Citation
- 1106170
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 1106170.
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 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating based on these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back conditions and adjustment disorder, have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since October 22, 2009. The Board has granted TDIU on both an extraschedular basis (prior to February 14, 2011) and on a schedular basis (from February 14, 2011).
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