The Board has granted service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and arthritis of the left shoulder, finding that these conditions were aggravated by active duty service.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran's preexisting back disability became symptomatic during his 1991 period of service, while his left shoulder disability was linked to an in-service fall. The Board found no clear and unmistakable evidence that the disabilities were not aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, Arthritis of the left shoulder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071708
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for a low back disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused these conditions.
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