The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD) alone rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from August 19, 2019.
The deciding factor: The severity of the symptoms associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine DDD significantly interfered with his ability to perform any type of substantially gainful employment consistent with his limited education and primary physical occupational experience.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- May 23, 2025
- Citation
- A25046410
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and restored the 40 percent disability rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), while denying a higher rating for migraine headaches and remanding the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for increased ratings for left and right knee DJD based on instability, as well as lumbar spine DDD, due to insufficient evidence of moderate or severe instability.
- 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.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.