The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's current low back disability is found to be related to his military service, specifically an injury when he was hit by a bulldozer in service.
The deciding factor: The opinion provided by Dr. P., who stated that the force that fractured the Veteran's pubic rami had also caused his degenerative disc disease, and the March 2009 opinion from a different VA physician suggesting that the Veteran's current back disability is the result of his 1969 hip injury, are at least in equipoise.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint/Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2014
- Citation
- 1418852
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 1418852.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability was previously rated at 10 percent prior to August 11, 2021. The Board has now remanded the case for further development and rating consideration.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, the maximum available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran did not have a low back injury or disease during service and that his current degenerative joint/disc disease is not related to service. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint/disc disease of the lumbar spine, is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.
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