The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and arthritis of the lumbar spine with spurring. The Board also granted service connection for this condition, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lay statements, medical diagnosis, and a nexus statement from a physician linking the Veteran’s in-service repetitive heavy lifting to his current low back disorder are more persuasive than the VA examiner's opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Arthritis of the lumbar spine with spurring
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19178401
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding a positive nexus to the Veteran's active duty service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal of proposed rating reductions for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy, left lower extremity, due to procedural defects in the Veteran's notice of disagreement. The issue regarding a compensable rating for migraine headaches was remanded.
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