The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and a rating of 10% was assigned for his left ankle strain. The effective date remains prior to October 4, 2016.
The deciding factor: New evidence supported the reopening of the low back strain claim, and the VA examiner concluded that the current degenerative changes in the Veteran's spine were less likely related to service injuries due to lack of progression since a previous x-ray.
- Claimed conditions
- low back strain, right ankle strain, systemic arthritis, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19128672
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,911 · Granted: 10% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19128672.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims of service connection for cervical spine and skin rash disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including the one for an increased rating for low back strain.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.,Service connection is denied for tinnitus.
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