The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions, including chronic lumbar spine strain, right lower extremity neuropathy associated with chronic lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity neuropathy associated with chronic lumbosacral strain, chronic right supraspinatus tendonitis and subacromial bursitis and strain (right shoulder), chronic right peroneal tendonitis (right ankle), and right ankle strain was granted. The Veteran is now receiving a 40% rating for the lumbar spine strain since June 4, 2018.
The deciding factor: The evidence demonstrated that the Veteran's conditions were service-connected based on their direct relationship to his military service without any need for additional presumptions or secondary theories of connection.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lumbar spine strain, right lower extremity neuropathy associated with chronic lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity neuropathy associated with chronic lumbosacral strain, chronic right supraspinatus tendonitis and subacromial bursitis and strain (right shoulder), chronic right peroneal tendonitis (right ankle), right ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19196770
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,030 · Granted: 17% (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 19196770.
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 service connection for right ankle strain and right foot condition, finding no current disability related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.,Service connection is denied for tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial compensable ratings for his bilateral hip/thigh and right ankle conditions require additional medical examination to determine their current severity.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board is remanding the cases due to an incomplete record and a need for additional information regarding applications filed prior to March 9, 2020.
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