The Veteran has been granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and residuals of shell fragment wounds to his left testes. The Board found that there was an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service, placing the benefit of doubt in favor of the Veteran.,Service connection has also been granted for residuals of shell fragment wounds to the head and face, but not for the upper arm as no current disability was found.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current disabilities are related to service. The benefit of doubt has been resolved in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the Lumbar Spine, Residuals of Shell Fragment Wound to Left Testes, Residuals of Shell Fragment Wound to Head and Face, Residuals of Shell Fragment Wound to Left Upper Arm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2018
- Citation
- 1805419
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1805419.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and associated bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from June 30, 2006, onward. The Board granted a 20% disability rating for the period on appeal (not including any periods of convalescence) due to severe muscle spasm and guarding resulting in abnormal gait or spinal contour.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the AOJ's decision denying service connection for OSA, claimed as secondary to service-connected psychiatric disorder and DDD of the lumbar spine, is flawed due to a failure to consider whether obesity was an intermediate step in the development of OSA. The case is being remanded to obtain an addendum medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's PTSD symptoms more nearly approximate the criteria for a 70 percent rating, warranting an increased rating.,Service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative arthritis is remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.,The Veteran's current employment status does not affect his entitlement to service connection for DDD and degenerative arthritis.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a lower back disorder, finding that the obesity aggravated by the service-connected left knee disability was a substantial factor in causing these conditions.
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