The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability as secondary to his service-connected pes planus, finding that reasonable doubt should be resolved in favor of the claimant.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's current DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease) was less likely caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral foot disabilities and other lower extremity conditions, but a private medical opinion supported this connection. The decision is based on resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the claimant.
- Claimed conditions
- DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23009475
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 23009475.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, lumbar retrolisthesis, a vertebral fracture, and DDD (back disability), as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the back disability. The decision is based on evidence showing an in-service fall causing a back injury that led to current diagnoses.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for DDD and central canal stenosis of the lumbar spine, finding that the appellant's current disability is at least as likely caused by his in-service injury.
- Granted
The Veteran's thoracolumbar disorder, including arthritis, thoracic spine scoliosis with degenerative changes, DDD, and chronic low back pain, is granted service connection. Service connection for a cervical strain is denied.
- Denied
The Board has denied the claim for service connection for low back disability, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between the current condition and active military service.
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