The Board has determined that service connection for a degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine is granted, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether the current lumbar spine disability is related to service. The Veteran's competent and credible lay assertions of continued back problems throughout service are considered along with the collective medical opinion evidence on the question of medical etiology of current lumbar spine disability, which is sufficient to resolve the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 22, 2015
- Citation
- 1503183
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 1503183.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 8, 2023 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) because it is not factually ascertainable that his service-connected conditions caused him to become unemployable within one year before filing the claim.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the intermediate rate between the (m) and (n) rates based on his service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands multiple claims for higher initial ratings and other benefits due to the need for additional development, including an examination regarding atrophy in the Veteran's legs.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a VA opinion to address whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability manifested in the functional equivalent of unfavorable ankylosis during flare-ups.
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