The Veteran's DDD of the thoracic spine is granted as a result of it manifesting to a degree of at least 10% within one year of service separation, and he had active service for more than 90 days. The T-8 fracture preexisted service but did not aggravate during service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's DDD manifested to a compensable degree within one year of service separation, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection under 38 U.S.C. § 1112(a).
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21012577
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 21012577.
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 Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine is related to her service. The Veteran contends that her current condition is a result of heavy lifting during her time as an Air Passenger Specialist/Supervisor, which she claims caused her back pain since service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the VA examination conducted in December 2019 did not comply with the remand directives and is therefore remanded for another examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected thoracic degenerative disc disease.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a separate disability rating for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities as an objective neurological abnormality of his service-connected thoracic spine DDD, finding no evidence of diagnosed radiculopathy and that any peripheral neuropathy is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected thoracic spine DDD.
- Denied
The Board denied reopening of service connection for DDD of the thoracic spine because the new evidence did not show a relationship to service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.