The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, finding that his current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease is related to active military service. The issue of service connection for ventral hernia remains pending and will be remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence showing a pre-existing condition existed prior to service or that any increase in disability during service was due to the natural progression of the disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Ventral hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2014
- Citation
- 1447908
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 1447908.
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 Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a ventral hernia is denied. The extension beyond December 31, 2019, of a temporary total rating (TTR) based on hospitalization for PTSD is also denied. A rating in excess of 70% for PTSD from January 1, 2020 to November 6, 2025 is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities due to a duty to assist error. The effective date for DEA benefits is granted as May 1, 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date remains March 29, 2021, as the earliest date of claim. An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the back disability from March 29, 2021, is also denied.
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