The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, left knee, right foot disabilities and residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to include acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are believed to be related to in-service injuries during airborne training.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran experienced in-service falls during airborne training which led to his current disabilities, including lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, left knee, right foot, TBI and psychiatric disorders. The medical evidence supports a nexus between these conditions and service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, left knee disability, right foot disability, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and PTSD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20080371
Veterans Law Judge
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 20080371.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims of service connection for cervical spine and skin rash disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the July 2012 VA examination for the Veteran's left knee disability, and a new addendum opinion is needed.
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