The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine discogenic disease status post surgery, spondylosis, and facet arthropathy as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability. The SMC claim is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established based on aggravation of the Veteran's lumbar spine condition by his service-connected right ankle disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine discogenic disease status post surgery, spondylosis, facet arthropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 3, 2026
- Citation
- A26030684
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 A26030684.
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 Veteran's claims for higher ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome and left lower extremity radiculopathy were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and an incomplete record of chiropractic care. The Veteran is requested to provide or authorize VA to obtain his treatment records from chiropractors, and an addendum opinion will be provided by a VA examiner.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as spondylosis and sacroiliitis with degenerative changes, had its onset during his period of INACDUTRA. As such, service connection is granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful employment, leading to the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
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