The Board has determined that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease of the spine is related to his active duty service, granting his claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s back condition was etiologically related to his military service and granted the claim based on resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2021
- Citation
- 21007455
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21007455.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of a TDIU was denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
Service connection for degenerative disc disease of the spine is granted. The evidence was in approximate balance, but the veteran received the benefit of the doubt.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the spine was granted. The Board found that the condition began during his active service between June 2013 and June 2014.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's TDIU claim from September 24, 2021 to the present is dismissed as moot because he already had a 100% schedular rating and SMC at the housebound rate. The one-year period prior to September 24, 2021 for establishing eligibility for SMC was denied due to no single service-connected disability causing unemployability.
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