The Board granted service connection for a back disability, diagnosed as thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with spondylosis and radiculopathy. The right knee and left knee issues were remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence is in approximate balance regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing back disability was aggravated beyond its normal progression during service, resulting in a non-temporary increase in severity that ultimately required surgical intervention.
- Claimed conditions
- back disability, diagnosed as thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with spondylosis and radiculopathy, left knee disability, to include arthritis, right knee disability, to include right total knee replacement (TKR)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25022698
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (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 A25022698.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a left knee disability, right knee disability, and a disability manifested by itching all over the body.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records from various providers.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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