The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability and granted it, finding that his current low back disability is etiologically related to his service-connected bilateral knee disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s current lumbar spine disability was more likely related to chronic degenerative changes due to aging, but also noted that the Veteran's gait became altered following knee surgery, which helped flare up his low back condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19133058
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 bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability and arthritis, to include bilateral hips and knees, due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, prostate disability, and kidney cancer due to inadequate medical opinions and potential outstanding VA treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, prostate disability, and kidney cancer due to inadequate medical opinions and potential outstanding VA treatment records.
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