The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's current diagnosis of DJD of the lumbar spine is presumed to be related to his in-service injury due to falling down stairs during service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran sustained an in-service low back injury from falling down a flight of stairs, which could reasonably be considered as presumptively related to his current diagnosed DJD of the lumbar spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, Depressive disorder, Posttraumatic stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- May 19, 2015
- Citation
- 1521227
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 1521227.
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
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- Denied
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- Denied
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- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was denied, and her request for an increased rating for PTSD was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.
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