The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc and joint disease of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to an in-service jump from a helicopter during combat.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current spine conditions are presumed service-connected due to his participation in combat operations where he jumped from helicopters, resulting in injuries to his neck and back. The Board found the evidence consistent with combat service and granted service connection under the relaxed evidentiary standard of 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b).
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc and joint disease of cervical spine C6-C3, Degenerative disc and joint disease of thoracic spine T4-T11, to include thoracic spondylosis without myelopathy, Degenerative disc and joint disease of lumbar spine L5, to include degeneration of lumbar or lumbosacral intervertebral disc
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19136527
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,451 · Granted: 22% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19136527.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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