The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability, including degenerative joint and disc disease with osteophytes, bone spurs, foraminal narrowing, spinal stenosis, and favorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine between L3, L2, L1 and T12, is service-connected as it is linked to his credible account of sustaining a back injury during active duty.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's history of a low back injury in service was found credible by the VA physician who examined him, linking his current diagnoses to this history.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine from T12 to L5, Osteophytes, Bone spurs, Foraminal narrowing, Spinal stenosis, Favorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine between L3, L2, L1 and T12
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- August 7, 2012
- Citation
- 1227260
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 1227260.
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 Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, herniated disc, IVDS and spinal stenosis is rated at 40 percent since August 19, 2020. The appeal period did not show unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for his lumbar spine condition and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to incomplete service records and a lack of relevant VA treatment records. The Board will seek additional opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis of the lumbar spine, finding that symptoms began during service and have persisted since.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her back and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations that did not consider the ameliorative effects of medication on her service-connected conditions.
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