The Board grants service connection for thoracic spondylosis based on the Veteran's reported continuous back symptoms since service and resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the criteria for service connection for thoracic spondylosis are met, as the Veteran has a history of back symptoms since service and the current disability is at least as likely as not related to the in-service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracic spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- December 22, 2025
- Citation
- 25015165
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,960 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 25015165.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim due to a failure to provide a VA examination and obtain an adequate medical opinion in connection with the service connection issue on appeal. The Veteran's records reflect current diagnoses of back disorders, including pain in the thoracic spine, chronic low back pain, degenerative disc disease, lumbar spondylosis, and thoracic spondylosis.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar spine disability was denied. The effective dates for TDIU and DEA were granted but with no earlier date than January 25, 2020.
- Denied
The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with thoracic spondylosis and lower extremity radiculopathy were evaluated at a 10 percent rating, which is the lowest available under the applicable criteria. The claims for increased ratings are denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral plantar fasciitis, chronic pain syndrome, sciatic radicular pain of both legs, traumatic brain injury (TBI), shin splints of both legs, thoracic spondylosis, right shoulder strain, right wrist strain, acne, and allergic rhinitis.
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