The Board granted service connection for abdominal condition, to include diastasis recti, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine condition and a 60 percent rating from November 19, 2015 was assigned for chemical pneumonitis with reactive airway disease.
The deciding factor: The October 2019 VA opinion provided a positive nexus between the Veteran's diastasis recti and his service-connected lumbar spine condition. The Board found this opinion highly probative in granting service connection for abdominal condition, to include diastasis recti, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine condition.
- Claimed conditions
- abdominal condition (diastasis recti), chemical pneumonitis with reactive airway disease, left femur condition, hypogonadism, degenerative disc disease of lumbar spine, right femoral radiculopathy, left sciatic radiculopathy, vision problems
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- January 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22000015
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, left shoulder bicipital tendon tear, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis with facet arthropathy and lumbosacral strain, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, left and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (to include iliotibial band syndrome), and chronic right wrist sprain were denied. The Board also granted an effective date of July 7, 2023 for the award of increased ratings.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for head trauma, vision problems, myopia, right hand disability, left knee disability, and left ankle disability was dismissed due to an untimely Notice of Disagreement (NOD).
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and other benefits, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or additional compensation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis and a 20 percent rating for right sciatic radiculopathy, but denied higher ratings for left sciatic radiculopathy, chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), service connection for chronic sinusitis, pain of the right knee, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
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