The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's low back disability was aggravated by her service-connected bilateral knee disability, and therefore grants service connection for a low back disability on a secondary (aggravation) basis.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions are in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's low back condition was aggravated by her service-connected bilateral knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, History of disc herniation
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 29, 2014
- Citation
- 1443482
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 1443482.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, pseudofolliculitis barbae, radiculopathy, right lower extremity associated with degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, radiculopathy, left lower extremity associated with degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, right elbow fracture postoperative, and tinnitus, have resulted in the Veteran being unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since May 25, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has restored the ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy to their prior levels, effective June 1, 2013. However, due to procedural errors in reducing these ratings, they are now void ab initio.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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