The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that it is proximately due to or caused by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The issue of whether service connection is warranted for a cervical spine disability claimed as secondary to service-connected disability to include the left knee disability remains pending and will be addressed in the remand portion.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine spondylosis, spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease are proximately due to or caused by his service-connected left knee disability. The cervical spine disabilities were not specifically addressed in the prior examinations but are considered secondary to the left knee disability based on the Veteran's testimony.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disability (Lumbar Spine Spondylosis, Spondylolisthesis and Degenerative Disc Disease), Cervical Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2015
- Citation
- 1500318
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 1500318.
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 cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for TMD, cervical spine disability, and FSAD have been denied.,An earlier effective date prior to August 2, 2022, for the award of service connection for these conditions has also been denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claims for erectile dysfunction and voiding dysfunction have been denied due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to his in-service exposure.,The remaining service connection claims (for bilateral feet, ankles, hip, wrist, cervical spine, upper extremity radiculopathy, psychiatric disorder, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension) are remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to assess her current and retrospective severity of these disabilities.
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