The Veteran's claim for residuals of a right Achilles tendon injury was reopened and granted service connection.,Service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine was denied with a rating of 40 percent from September 22, 2015. A TDIU was granted prior to this date.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current back disability does not meet the criteria for an increased rating as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of right Achilles tendon injury, DDD of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- February 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20010544
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 20010544.
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 DDD of the lumbar spine and remanded issues related to a left hip condition, colon cancer status post colon resection, and right foot and right hip conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the claim for service connection of a thoracolumbar spine disorder. The Veteran will undergo a new VA examination to determine the nature and cause of his condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine disability and associated left lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate VA examinations, lack of ankylosis assessment, and need for additional medical records.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain, DDD of the lumbar spine, right knee strain, and a left knee condition. The conditions are found to have started during service.
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