The Board has granted service connection for scoliosis and lower back pain, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disorder. The decision is based on evidence in equipoise as to whether the current back disorders were aggravated by the service-connected right foot and ankle disorders.
The deciding factor: The Board found that while there was no direct link between a current back disorder and active service, the Veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by his service-connected right foot and ankle disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- scoliosis, lower back pain
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20072065
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,548 · Granted: 31% (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 20072065.
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 claim for service connection for a back condition, including degenerative disc disease and scoliosis, due to lack of current disability evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's lower back pain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded all issues for further development, including verification of the Veteran's service dates and consideration of any newly identified periods of service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to deficiencies in the duty to assist, and will require a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing scoliosis and/or additional lumbar vertebra clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and whether any increase in severity during service was due to natural progression.
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