The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine was reopened and granted effective February 25, 2014. The Board found that this award is not earlier than this date.
The deciding factor: The earliest possible date for which the Veteran is entitled to an award of service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine is February 25, 2014.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19191713
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 19191713.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and increased the disability rating for the lumbar spine to 20 percent effective August 18, 2023.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a back disability to verify the Veteran's period(s) of active duty for training (ACDUTRA), inactive duty for training (IDT), and/or active duty for special work (ADSW) from September 2013 to August 2021, and to obtain a VA examination.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, as secondary to a service-connected lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis and spondylosis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining VA examinations and Social Security Administration records.
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