The Board has granted service connection for a chronic back disability and remanded the issues of right foot condition, left shoulder condition, increased rating for plantar fasciitis, increased rating for panic disorder with agoraphobia (claimed as PTSD, anxiety), increased rating for TBI with residual headaches, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current back disability is found to be etiologically related to in-service injury, including an IED blast during service. The right foot and left shoulder conditions are also considered as potentially service-connected due to credible assertions of in-service injuries and repetitive stress injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic back disability, right foot condition, left shoulder condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19148014
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,170 · Granted: 38% (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 19148014.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea has been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his request.,Service connection for a back condition is denied as there is no evidence that the condition began during service or is related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle strain and right foot condition, finding no current disability related to service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and a left shoulder condition due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal.
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