The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is not related to service or caused by his service-connected left ankle disabilities. However, he meets the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to his service-connected left ankle disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left ankle disabilities render him unable to perform daily activities without assistance, meeting the criteria for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), Mechanical Low Back Pain, Lumbar Spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 22, 2018
- Citation
- 1804260
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 1804260.
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 remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease and associated radiculopathy, as the record does not include all relevant treatment records prior to back surgery.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for migraines and lumbar spondylosis, granted a 40% rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy, and granted TDIU and earlier effective dates for special monthly compensation and Dependents' Educational Assistance.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, including degenerative disc disease, degenerative arthritis, spondylolisthesis, and compression fracture at L2, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for degenerative disc disease (DDD) prior to April 18, 2024, but the claims for increased ratings for DDD from that date and for right ankle disability were denied.
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