BVA decisions by condition
Degenerative arthritis of the spine: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a degenerative arthritis of the spine issue in 58,573 decisions. It granted the degenerative arthritis of the spine issue in 21.2% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 31.4%, and remanded it in 47.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 40.3% were granted.
Decisions
58,573
2017–2026
Granted
21.2%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
40.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
47.0%
Denied: 31.4%
Degenerative arthritis of the spine outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 4,995 | 13.3% | 36.8% | 44.1% | 5.8% |
| 2018 | 7,064 | 16.0% | 34.8% | 45.6% | 3.6% |
| 2019 | 7,483 | 17.2% | 31.5% | 49.0% | 2.2% |
| 2020 | 7,708 | 18.2% | 36.0% | 44.3% | 1.5% |
| 2021 | 7,339 | 19.9% | 33.5% | 44.7% | 1.9% |
| 2022 | 6,807 | 21.9% | 26.5% | 49.9% | 1.8% |
| 2023 | 7,088 | 22.1% | 26.2% | 50.2% | 1.6% |
| 2024 | 6,638 | 26.4% | 27.0% | 44.8% | 1.9% |
| 2025 | 5,525 | 26.6% | 27.8% | 43.7% | 1.9% |
| 2026 | 2,309 | 33.9% | 26.5% | 37.7% | 1.9% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied degenerative arthritis of the spine decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the degenerative arthritis of the spine issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 8,942 | 76.2% | 30.0% | +46.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 6,339 | 60.9% | 36.3% | +24.6 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 3,416 | 60.2% | 38.5% | +21.8 pts |
| Buddy statement | 2,168 | 59.9% | 39.3% | +20.6 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 18,435 | 52.4% | 32.2% | +20.3 pts |
| Combat service | 2,786 | 55.5% | 39.4% | +16.2 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 7,107 | 50.0% | 39.2% | +10.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 48,462 | 39.9% | 43.4% | −3.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 73.9% of the decisions that granted degenerative arthritis of the spine.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 46.1% of grants and 13.6% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often degenerative arthritis of the spine was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 27,702 | 41.6% | 38.7% | +2.9 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 44,071 | 38.7% | 48.8% | −10.0 pts |
Degenerative arthritis of the spine claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where degenerative arthritis of the spine was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a knee condition2,449 decisions · 24.1% granted
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a back condition679 decisions · 23.7% granted
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to an ankle condition590 decisions · 27.1% granted
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to flat feet364 decisions · 23.1% granted
Why the Board granted or denied degenerative arthritis of the spine
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established1,658
- Continuity of symptomatology since service710
- Caused by the service-connected disability256
- Service connection established152
- Criteria for service connection met113
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service100
- Forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less77
- Evidence evenly balanced70
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim2,388
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service1,955
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis1,710
- Service records negative or silent916
- Current diagnosis established713
- No continuity of symptomatology651
- Continuity of symptomatology since service418
- No current diagnosis245
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent degenerative arthritis of the spine decisions
Granted
Veteran reported in-service injury and treatment for back; STRs unavailable, despite multiple attempts to locate; Inadequate VA examiner opinions that did not consider lay statements or provide adequate rationales
Positive February 2026 VA opinion finding nexus to service; Veteran's statements of continuity of symptomatology found credible; Evidence in relative balance between positive and negative opinions
Equipoise of evidence regarding service connection; Benefit of the doubt doctrine applied; Private medical opinion linked condition to military activities
Denied
Prior to March 31, 2025, criteria for higher than 20% rating not met.; From March 31, 2025, criteria for higher than 40% rating not met.; No evidence of ankylosis, specific motion limitations, or prolonged incapacitating episodes.
Forward flexion not limited to the degree required for a higher rating.; No evidence of severe muscle spasm, guarding, ankylosis, or IVDS.; Flare-ups did not result in functional loss beyond what was considered for the 10% rating.
Evidence did not meet criteria for ankylosis or higher IVDS ratings.; Veteran's reported pain did not constitute functional loss beyond assigned ratings.; Board found evidence decidedly against higher ratings.
Rules that apply to degenerative arthritis of the spine claims
- 38 CFR 4.71a · DC 5242
Schedule of ratings: musculoskeletal system
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.1.B.3
Spine: evaluating manifestations of spine diseases and injuries
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.1.C
Arthritis: degenerative arthritis and separately compensable joints
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.1.A
Painful motion and functional loss (38 CFR 4.59, DeLuca, Mitchell, Correia)
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your degenerative arthritis of the spine case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a degenerative arthritis of the spine issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.