The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, including arthritis and herniated nucleus pulposus, is service-connected as it was manifested within one year of his separation from active duty.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as lumbar L5-S1 herniated nucleus pulposus, arthritis, and degenerative disc/joint disease with muscle spasm, became manifest to a degree of 10 percent within one year following his separation from service in Iraq. The Board found that the Veteran had a pre-existing lower back disorder but also noted that he complained of shoulder pain at the time of his fall, not low back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar L5-S1 herniated nucleus pulposus, arthritis, degenerative disc/joint disease with muscle spasm
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2011
- Citation
- 1138125
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 1138125.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to DIC due to a failure to obtain a medical opinion prior to the rating decision on appeal regarding whether the Veteran's arthritis was related to his period of active service, and if so, whether it contributed to his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his diagnosed conditions, including mental health disorders, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, arthritis, neuropathy, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and headaches. The examination will also address whether any of these conditions were caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Granted
The Veteran's hypertension and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as a sleep deprivation condition) have been granted service connection. The claim for arthritis has been remanded.
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