The Board has granted service connection for a thoracic spine disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's service. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's existing service-connected lumbar spine disability and considers the entire thoracolumbar spine.
The deciding factor: The July 2019 VHA opinion considered the Veteran’s competent and credible reports of his symptoms, including in-service strain while wearing military equipment, and concluded that his current thoracic degenerative joint disease is at least as likely as not related to service on a direct basis.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracic spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19175645
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and remanded the claims for lumbar spine, thoracic spine, right hip, left knee, right knee, left ankle, right ankle, and bilateral foot disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a thoracic spine disability and remanded the claims for bilateral hip, left sciatic radicular pain, headaches, and cervicothoracic spine disabilities.
- Dismissed
The appeal regarding CUE in the June 2014 rating decision to deny service connection for cervical and thoracic spine disabilities was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election of review.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine, thoracic spine, TBI, and dyspnea to schedule VA examinations.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.