The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder as secondary to left hip degenerative joint disease, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the low back disorder was caused by the service-connected left hip disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was based on the lack of significant altered gait despite the Veteran having an antalgic gait due to left hip pain. The Board found this finding in equipoise with the possibility that the low back disorder could be related to the left hip disability.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disorder, left hip degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19188686
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 19188686.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a low back disorder to obtain additional medical evidence and ensure that the Veteran is afforded every possible consideration.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a low back disorder was dismissed as the RO granted service connection in a November 2023 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a low back disorder to obtain additional evidence and an adequate medical opinion in compliance with previous remand instructions.
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