The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed low back disorders of DDD and arthritis are at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected DJD of the right and left knees, thus granting service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.
The deciding factor: A private orthopedist found it was at least as likely as not that the Veteran's service-connected knee disorders caused an altered gait which subsequently aggravated his back disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease, Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 30, 2017
- Citation
- 1718950
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 1718950.
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 PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error and requires an additional VA examination for the Veteran's back disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence in support of the Veteran's previously denied service-connection claim for a back condition to include degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease. The case is being remanded for further review.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in previous examinations, requiring additional information on right shoulder ROM measurements without medication effects.
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