The Veteran's low back condition, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and left lower extremity radiculopathy, is service-connected as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s low back condition was caused by his service-connected left knee disability based on multiple medical opinions supporting this conclusion.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- October 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20066757
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 earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and granted initial 40 percent ratings for left upper extremity CTS, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) housebound status, but dismissed the claims for initial ratings in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Board granted initial disability ratings of 40 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, a 20 percent rating for lumbar spine disability, denied an increased rating for obstructive sleep apnea with asthma, granted TDIU from May 7, 2021, and SMC from September 10, 2021.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection, increased ratings, and earlier effective dates as there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current conditions and his active military service.
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