The Veteran's degenerative changes of the thoracic spine, degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, and costochondritis are found to be related to his active service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's long-time private doctor stated that his back pain is chronic and could be related to Air Force duty in the past, and there is a continuity of symptomatology since service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the thoracic spine, Degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, Costochondritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19181237
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 the veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and earlier effective dates.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance (SMC-AA) was granted, while the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chest pains, to include costochondritis, and an increased rating for asthma were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for asthma and chronic bronchitis, granted service connection for costochondritis secondary to the service-connected conditions, and denied special monthly compensation based on housebound status or aid and attendance.
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