Secondary service connection
Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a back condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided degenerative arthritis of the spine claimed as secondary to a back condition in 705 decisions. It granted the issue in 23.3% of them, above the 21.2% grant rate for all degenerative arthritis of the spine issues, denied it in 25.1%, and remanded it in 50.4%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 48.1% were granted.
From Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions: appeals, not VA's first decisions. About these numbers
Decisions
705
2017–2026
Granted
23.3%
All degenerative arthritis of the spine: 21.2%
Granted on the merits
48.1%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
50.4%
Denied: 25.1%
At a glance
- Most often argued link: altered gait or overuse, named in 33 issues, 48.5% granted. Details
- Causation only: 33.6% granted; when the decision discussed aggravation: 10.5%. Details
- Positive nexus opinion: 88.7% granted on the merits when in the record, 22.1% without. Details
- Favorable VA exam: 80.3% granted on the merits when in the record, 38.9% without. Details
- Issues granted: 16.5% in 2018, 33.3% in 2025. Details
How these claims are argued
A secondary claim says a back condition caused degenerative arthritis of the spine or made it worse, and names how. Below: whether the Board's decision discussed aggravation, and the medical link each decision names, with how often those issues were granted.
Aggravation discussed
made worse by the disability, 3.310(b)
10.5%
granted, of 323 issues (45.1% of all)
Causation only
caused by the disability, 3.310(a)
33.6%
granted, of 393 issues (54.9% of all)
| Medical link named | Issues | Granted |
|---|---|---|
Altered gait or overuse Granted “Private opinion linked cervical disability to falls from gait instability..” 25003978 (2025) Denied “VA examinations and treatment records indicated a normal gait.” 22021055 (2022) | 33 | 48.5% |
Nerve involvement Granted “The Veteran claimed service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine with cervical radiculopathy, asserting it was secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.” A26024677 (2026) Denied “The veteran claimed service connection for a cervical spine condition, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, and cervicalgia, asserting it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected...” 23046542 (2023) | 33 | 39.4% |
Weight gain or obesity Denied “Later diagnoses attributed to aging, obesity, and occupational factors.” 22017293 (2022) | 11 | 0.0% |
Based on words in the AI-written summary and reasons for each issue, not a reading of the full decision. 12.4% of the 716 issues name at least one medical link; the rest only say “secondary to” the disability. One issue can name several links. Granted is the share of those issues granted (remands count as not granted). A link named in a denial was often the argument the Board rejected.
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 | 179 | 88.7% | 22.1% | +66.6 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 97 | 80.3% | 38.9% | +41.4 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 283 | 63.7% | 30.9% | +32.8 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 44 | 69.0% | 46.2% | +22.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 572 | 44.6% | 72.1% | −27.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 82.9% of the decisions that granted degenerative arthritis of the spine.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 31.7% of grants and 8.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 596 | 47.5% | 55.6% | −8.1 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 512 | 44.4% | 64.5% | −20.1 pts |
Recent degenerative arthritis of the spine decisions
Granted
Evidence in equipoise regarding secondary nexus; Benefit of the doubt applied; Private opinion found cervical and lumbar spine disabilities related
Private opinion provided plausible explanation for secondary nexus; Benefit of the doubt applied due to conflicting opinions
Private physician opinion found persuasive; Opinion provided detailed rationale linking conditions; Resolving reasonable doubt in Veteran's favor
Denied
No service treatment records for neck complaints; VA examiner opinion: less likely than not related to service-connected back; Private records indicate ATV accident etiology, more credible than VA statements
Service treatment records were negative for cervical spine complaints.; Discharge examination found spine normal; first objective evidence of arthritis over 20 years post-service.; VA opinions found condition less likely than not related to service or aggravated by service-connected conditions.; Lay testimony regarding in-service football injury insufficient to establish nexus due to time gap and lack of in-service complaints.
Manifestation of service-connected lumbar spine condition; No independent thoracic spine condition shown
Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a back condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 42 | 9.5% | 40.5% | 45.2% | 4.8% |
| 2018 | 79 | 16.5% | 34.2% | 44.3% | 5.1% |
| 2019 | 75 | 22.7% | 28.0% | 48.0% | 1.3% |
| 2020 | 95 | 15.8% | 37.9% | 45.3% | 1.1% |
| 2021 | 100 | 27.0% | 26.0% | 46.0% | 1.0% |
| 2022 | 85 | 27.1% | 23.5% | 48.2% | 1.2% |
| 2023 | 78 | 16.7% | 17.9% | 64.1% | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 60 | 30.0% | 8.3% | 61.7% | 0.0% |
| 2025 | 75 | 33.3% | 10.7% | 56.0% | 0.0% |
| 2026 | 27 | 40.7% | 11.1% | 48.1% | 0.0% |
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 20 issues are left out.
Why the Board granted or denied degenerative arthritis of the spine
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability25
- Current diagnosis established12
- Service connection established7
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability6
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service5
- Continuity of symptomatology since service5
- Service records negative or silent2
- Resolving all doubt in veteran's favor2
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service41
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis35
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim26
- Service records negative or silent22
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability14
- Continuity of symptomatology since service9
- No continuity of symptomatology6
- Caused by the service-connected disability3
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.
Background
What VA needs to grant a secondary claim
Secondary service connection means VA disability benefits for a condition caused or made worse by a disability that is already service connected (38 CFR 3.310). The claim needs three things:
- A current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis of the spine.
- A back condition is already service connected.
- Medical evidence linking them (a nexus opinion): degenerative arthritis of the spine was caused by a back condition (3.310(a)), or was made worse beyond its natural progress by it (aggravation, 3.310(b)).
VA's procedures for these claims are in M21-1 V.ii.2.D. When the evidence for and against is about even, VA must decide in the veteran's favor (38 CFR 3.102).
How VA rates degenerative arthritis of the spine
Once service connection is granted, VA assigns a disability rating from the rating schedule, 38 CFR 4.71a, diagnostic code 5242 (Degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome (also, see either DC 5003 or 5010)). The rating is the same whether the condition is service connected directly or as secondary to another disability.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 60% | With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months |
| 40% | With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months |
| 20% | With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months |
| 10% | With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least one week but less than 2 weeks during the past 12 months |
| | Rating |
- Note: If traumatic paralysis does not cause loss of use of both hands or both feet, it is incomplete paralysis. Evaluate residuals of incomplete traumatic paralysis under the appropriate diagnostic code (e.g., § 4.124a, Diseases of the Peripheral Nerves).
- Note (1): For purposes of evaluations under diagnostic code 5243, an incapacitating episode is a period of acute signs and symptoms due to intervertebral disc syndrome that requires bed rest prescribed by a physician and treatment by a physician.
- Note (2): If intervertebral disc syndrome is present in more than one spinal segment, provided that the effects in each spinal segment are clearly distinct, evaluate each segment on the basis of incapacitating episodes or under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, whichever method results in a higher evaluation for that segment.
Text of 38 CFR 4.71a as of Feb 27, 2026. Confirm the current text at the source before relying on it.
See all degenerative arthritis of the spine decisions, direct and secondary.
Other conditions secondary to a back condition
- Paralysis of sciatic nerve secondary to a back condition325 decisions · 57.8% granted
- Radiculopathy secondary to a back condition1,181 decisions · 49.9% granted
- Major depressive disorder secondary to a back condition770 decisions · 47.4% granted
- Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve secondary to a back condition2,436 decisions · 38.7% granted
- Sleep apnea secondary to a back condition1,166 decisions · 38.2% granted
- Ulnar nerve paralysis secondary to a back condition628 decisions · 34.6% granted
- Peripheral nerve conditions secondary to a back condition307 decisions · 32.2% granted
- Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to a back condition1,204 decisions · 27.8% granted
- Erectile dysfunction secondary to a back condition619 decisions · 27.6% granted
- Urinary incontinence secondary to a back condition408 decisions · 22.8% granted
- Hypertension secondary to a back condition330 decisions · 20.0% granted
- Migraine secondary to a back condition347 decisions · 18.7% granted
- Hip impairment secondary to a back condition1,856 decisions · 13.6% granted
- Knee conditions secondary to a back condition2,083 decisions · 12.3% granted
- Ankle impairment secondary to a back condition322 decisions · 11.2% granted
- Cervical spine limitation of motion secondary to a back condition1,553 decisions · 8.8% granted
- Shoulder impairment secondary to a back condition647 decisions · 7.3% granted
- Foot impairment secondary to a back condition354 decisions · 6.2% granted
Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to other conditions
See all conditions secondary to a back condition.
Rules that apply to secondary degenerative arthritis of the spine claims
- 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.ii.2.D
Secondary service connection and aggravation of non-service-connected disabilities
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 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
Research your degenerative arthritis of the spine case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Counts decisions in which the Board decided a degenerative arthritis of the spine issue claimed as secondary to a back condition, by the outcome of that issue.
- The primary disability is read from the decision text ("secondary to …") and grouped by name, so spellings such as "PTSD" and "posttraumatic stress disorder" count together.
- Secondary claims also include aggravation of a non-service-connected condition by a service-connected one (38 CFR 3.310(b)).
- 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.
Where this data comes from
- Claim
- Regional office decides
- Veteran appeals
- Board decides
- Granted · Denied · Remanded: back to the regional office
Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions show how VA's highest review body applies 38 CFR and weighs evidence on contested claims.
Each one is an appeal: a regional office decided the claim first, and the veteran appealed. So these rates describe the Board, not a veteran's odds at the regional office, where most claims are decided and whose decisions are not public.
More on what Board decisions can and cannot tell you