The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, lumbar spine, and cervical spine. The Veteran's current disabilities are found to be related to in-service events.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners provided opinions that the Veteran’s current disabilities are not due to his in-service injuries or events.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Shoulder, Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Cervical Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18106110
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 18106110.
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 has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ is instructed to obtain relevant medical records, including SSA disability records and Federal prison medical records, and request an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disorder.
- Denied
The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine was found to not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating, as it did not result in forward flexion of 15 degrees or less and there was no evidence of favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as his lumbar spine disorder. The Board found the evidence in balance regarding whether these conditions render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected, and the Board finds that his back disability may be related to service. The case is remanded for a VA examination.
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