Secondary service connection
Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to an ankle condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided degenerative arthritis of the spine claimed as secondary to an ankle condition in 663 decisions. It granted the issue in 26.1% of them, above the 21.8% grant rate for all degenerative arthritis of the spine issues, denied it in 16.0%, and remanded it in 56.9%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 62.0% were granted.
Decisions
663
2018–2026
Granted
26.1%
All degenerative arthritis of the spine: 21.8%
Granted on the merits
62.0%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
56.9%
Denied: 16.0%
See all degenerative arthritis of the spine decisions, direct and secondary.
Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to an ankle condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 81 | 23.5% | 17.3% | 54.3% |
| 2019 | 83 | 27.7% | 13.3% | 59.0% |
| 2020 | 82 | 24.4% | 25.6% | 50.0% |
| 2021 | 83 | 10.8% | 26.5% | 61.4% |
| 2022 | 90 | 21.1% | 16.7% | 62.2% |
| 2023 | 74 | 21.6% | 16.2% | 59.5% |
| 2024 | 70 | 45.7% | 5.7% | 48.6% |
| 2025 | 70 | 30.0% | 7.1% | 62.9% |
| 2026 | 30 | 46.7% | 6.7% | 46.7% |
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 | 197 | 88.0% | 31.8% | +56.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 293 | 75.6% | 37.4% | +38.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 71 | 79.2% | 58.4% | +20.7 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 54 | 73.7% | 60.2% | +13.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 550 | 57.3% | 90.0% | −32.7 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 81.5% of the decisions that granted degenerative arthritis of the spine.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 22.0% of grants and 9.4% 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 | 513 | 56.4% | 86.5% | −30.2 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 567 | 57.5% | 89.7% | −32.2 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied degenerative arthritis of the spine
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability35
- Current diagnosis established20
- Service connection established16
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability14
- Private medical opinion found probative2
- Service connection granted2
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service2
- Conflicting medical opinions regarding nexus2
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service27
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis17
- Service records negative or silent13
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim9
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability6
- No continuity of symptomatology5
- Caused by the service-connected disability2
- Continuity of symptomatology since service2
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
Private medical opinion found probative; Positive nexus between lumbar spine and service-connected right ankle; Secondary service connection criteria met
Contention of secondary to service-connected right ankle and knee conditions; Conflicting medical opinions regarding causation; Benefit of the doubt applied due to balanced evidence
New and relevant evidence received post-November 2020 decision.; Evidence in relative equipoise.; Benefit of the doubt applied.; Favorable private opinions linked lumbar spine disorder to right ankle disorder.
Denied
Back disability not secondary to right ankle disability; Criteria for service connection not met
No medical nexus found between service-connected knee/ankle conditions and lower back disability.; Examiner opined conditions are separate and distinct, developing from wear and tear.; Veteran's lay statements on etiology given little probative value due to lack of medical expertise.
No nexus between back disability and service-connected right ankle.; Veteran's lay statements regarding continuity of symptomatology found not credible.; Post-service workman's comp injury and subsequent surgeries are primary cause.; VA opinions found obesity not caused or aggravated by service-connected ankle.
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 an ankle 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 (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.