Service connection is granted for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome.,The Board has remanded the issues regarding service connection for a cervical spine disability and headaches due to potential aggravation by pre-existing conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current back disability is related to his in-service lifting duties, which resulted in chronic pain that persisted post-service. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability was less likely caused by service exposure but more likely due to a motor vehicle accident prior to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), Cervical spine disability, Headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2022
- Citation
- 22017063
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 22017063.
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 Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to PTSD, but his headaches are denied due to lack of service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's headaches, which manifested as very frequent and prolonged attacks causing severe economic inadaptability, are granted a 50 percent disability rating for the entire period on appeal.
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