The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted. The cervical spine claim is remanded due to inadequate development.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s preexisting lumbar spine disability worsened during his active service, and thus service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted. The cervical spine claim requires additional development due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2020
- Citation
- 20081332
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 a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to June 16, 2014, as the evidence did not show that he was precluded from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis and remanded the other claims for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left shoulder, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The appeal was also granted to reopen a claim for service connection for bilateral hip disability.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected conditions.
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