The Board has granted service connection for a back disability (degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease) as it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active service, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran experienced chronic low back pain during and after service, including documented diagnoses of degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease. The Board found the Veteran's assertions credible and considered lay statements from friends and family who observed his symptoms since service.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26008241
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 A26008241.
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 a higher rating of 30 percent for right shoulder arthritis effective February 1, 2024, and denied ratings higher than 20 percent for left shoulder arthritis, higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, higher than 10 percent for right knee limitation of flexion, higher than 10 percent for right knee instability, and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a back condition to include degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease as secondary to his service-connected disabilities due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the issues of an initial compensable rating for vascular headaches prior to March 23, 2020, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected vascular headaches alone.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the physical loss or permanent loss of use of one or both hands or feet, permanent impairment of vision in both eyes, severe burn injury, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Therefore, he does not meet the eligibility criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance with adaptive equipment.
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