The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back injury and his request for an increased rating for degenerative joint disease of the left wrist were both granted. However, the Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his left wrist condition was denied.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran’s current lower back disabilities or left wrist condition were related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- status post fractured L4 vertebra, degenerative joint disease of the left wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 21, 2018
- Citation
- 18104268
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 18104268.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent initial disability rating for carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist, but denied an initial compensable rating for the associated left wrist scar and an initial higher rating for degenerative joint disease of the left wrist.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of PTSD, anxiety, depression, a disability manifested by chronic sleep impairment, and TDIU. The hearing loss claim is denied as it does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hypertrophy, memory disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, lumbar spine disability (chronic low back pain), chronic cervical strain, allergic rhinitis, gastrointestinal disabilities, colon diverticulosis, and degenerative joint diseases of multiple joints. The Board found no evidence to support service connection for any of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that a new VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left wrist disorder and whether it is related to his service-connected right wrist disability.
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