Service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbosacral spine is granted. The Veteran's current DDD is related to an in-service back injury caused by a hard helicopter landing.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence supports a relationship between the Veteran's current DDD and the in-service back injury, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2025
- Citation
- 25001445
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 Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for DJD of the right knee and DDD of the lumbosacral spine, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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