The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is reopened, and he is granted service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and thoracic spondylosis. Service connection is also granted for mood disorder as caused by service-connected lumbar degenerative disc disease and thoracic spondylosis and bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows the Veteran had chronic back pain in service, which has continued since then. A VA examiner opined that his current diagnoses are related to his period of service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative disc disease, thoracic spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19132387
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 service connection for various conditions, including bilateral plantar fasciitis, chronic pain syndrome, sciatic radicular pain of both legs, traumatic brain injury (TBI), shin splints of both legs, thoracic spondylosis, right shoulder strain, right wrist strain, acne, and allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the claimant.
- Granted
The Board grants service connection for thoracic spondylosis based on the Veteran's reported continuous back symptoms since service and resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease, finding no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service.
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