The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen her claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and found that it is related to her military service. The rating assigned is 100%.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence established a relationship between the Veteran’s lumbar spine DDD and her military service, including repetitive musculoskeletal traumas from lifting heavy objects during repairs and fabrication on ships.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), lower back injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- December 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18159015
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 18159015.
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 Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the now service-connected lumbar spine condition. The decision is based on a finding of relative equipoise in the evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, including as aggravated by service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD).
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety was denied as the evidence did not support a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating for depression was denied because his symptoms were consistent with those already covered by his existing service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the AOJ did not obtain all relevant records and medical opinions, leading to remand for further development.
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