The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disease of the lumbar spine is at least as likely as not incurred during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records show multiple complaints of low back and right hip pain, with x-rays noting focal degenerative changes at L4-5 and L5-S1. The Board found the Veteran's history credible and resolved reasonable doubt in his favor.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- April 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19131299
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 granted service connection for multiple conditions, including degenerative diseases of the cervical and lumbar spine, radiculopathies affecting various extremities, OSA, hepatic steatosis, and supraventricular arrhythmia.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent for the period prior to August 6, 2019 and a rating of 40 percent is granted thereafter. Separate ratings are also granted for left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA examinations and requests for new evaluations.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her degenerative disease of the lumbar spine was denied. For the period prior to August 21, 2020, she is rated at 10 percent and for the period from August 21, 2020, she is rated at 20 percent.
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