The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The issues of increased ratings for bilateral foot disabilities and TDIU are remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s lower back disability is less likely than not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left knee disability, but also noted conflicting medical opinions supporting a nexus between the two conditions. The Board concluded in favor of the Veteran's claim for service connection based on the relative equipoise of evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back disability, callus formation of the right foot, callus formation of the left foot
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- November 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19183385
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 Board granted service connection for a lower back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition had its onset during his service and has progressively worsened since separation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD, effective March 8, 2023, but no earlier. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for lower back disability, right shoulder disability, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, a lower back disability, residuals of inguinal hernia repair, residuals of umbilical hernia repair, and sinusitis. Service connection was denied for an ulcer, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and acne.
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