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Granted

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition, upper back pain, and lower back pain with discomfort. The Veteran's current disability is arthritis in the back, which was noted during service but not diagnosed until after separation. The Board found that there was continuity of symptomatology from service to the present day.

The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran had a chronic disease (arthritis) that manifested during service and persisted post-service, meeting the criteria for service connection by continuity and chronicity.

Claimed conditions
Thoracolumbar spine condition (claimed as low back condition), Upper back pain, Lower back pain with discomfort
How they argued it
Reopened with new and material evidence
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
December 18, 2023
Citation
A23036340

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 A23036340.

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

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