The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, finding that the evidence is in equipoise with regard to showing a link between the condition and the Veteran's military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found the medical evidence to be in equipoise, granting service connection based on the presumption that the DJD of the lumbar spine is related to the Veteran's service due to his reported back injuries during National Guard service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2020
- Citation
- 20000244
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 denied increased ratings for the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and depressive disorder. However, it granted a total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate.
- Denied
The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for DJD of the lumbar spine from February 25, 2016 to September 15, 2023 and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent from September 16, 2023.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for DJD of the lumbar spine prior January 10, 2022, as the evidence did not show forward flexion greater than 30 degrees but less than 60 degrees or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees.
- Denied
The Veteran's lumbar DJD is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with DJD of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with DJD of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent from February 19, 2018, and the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating prior to that date.
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