The Veteran's claim for service connection of degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, secondary to his service-connected left and right knee disabilities, is granted. The reduction in rating for service-connected left ankle tarsal tunnel syndrome from 20% to noncompensable effective August 8, 2014, is not proper.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine was found to be secondary to his service-connected left and right knee disabilities. The reduction in rating for service-connected left ankle tarsal tunnel syndrome from 20% to noncompensable effective August 8, 2014, is not supported by evidence of sustained material improvement under the ordinary conditions of life.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease of the Thoracolumbar Spine, Left Ankle Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 24, 2023
- Citation
- 23011557
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 23011557.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed as the claims have been fully granted with effective dates assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine.
- Granted
The Veteran's TBI, GERD, headaches, ED, right knee arthritis, left hip strain, and right hip strain are all granted service connection.,Service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is also granted as secondary to right knee arthritis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical examinations. The claims are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.
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