The Board has granted service connection for multiple myeloma, a spinal cord disability (including compression fracture and cord compression), and lower extremity paralysis, all of which are found to be related to the Veteran's active military service. The decision also grants secondary service connection for these conditions based on their relationship to his service-connected multiple myeloma.
The deciding factor: The Board resolved all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, finding that his spinal cord disability and lower extremity paralysis are due to his now service-connected multiple myeloma.
- Claimed conditions
- multiple myeloma, spinal cord disability (compression fracture and cord compression), lower extremity paralysis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19189029
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,011 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19189029.
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 Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 100 percent for service-connected multiple myeloma has been denied. The Board also remanded two issues related to nerve neuropathies, and the claims for TDIU and SMC have been denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple myeloma and back problems due to a duty to assist error. For multiple myeloma, the Veteran's exposure to asbestos is not verified. For back problems, an addendum opinion is needed to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding her training-related injuries.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for multiple myeloma, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for multiple myeloma, diabetes mellitus II, and coronary artery disease (CAD) based on the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
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