Secondary service connection
Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a knee 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 a knee condition in 2,233 decisions. It granted the issue in 24.7% of them, above the 21.8% grant rate for all degenerative arthritis of the spine issues, denied it in 18.5%, and remanded it in 55.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 57.1% were granted.
Decisions
2,233
2018–2026
Granted
24.7%
All degenerative arthritis of the spine: 21.8%
Granted on the merits
57.1%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
55.8%
Denied: 18.5%
See all degenerative arthritis of the spine decisions, direct and secondary.
Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a knee condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 232 | 19.4% | 23.3% | 53.4% |
| 2019 | 272 | 19.5% | 21.7% | 56.6% |
| 2020 | 293 | 21.2% | 24.9% | 53.9% |
| 2021 | 283 | 21.6% | 23.7% | 54.4% |
| 2022 | 288 | 21.5% | 18.8% | 59.4% |
| 2023 | 291 | 25.4% | 14.1% | 59.8% |
| 2024 | 287 | 32.1% | 12.2% | 54.4% |
| 2025 | 211 | 35.5% | 11.4% | 53.1% |
| 2026 | 76 | 35.5% | 9.2% | 55.3% |
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 | 612 | 90.3% | 26.1% | +64.3 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 954 | 73.3% | 31.4% | +41.9 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 249 | 79.9% | 51.7% | +28.2 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 149 | 74.2% | 55.2% | +19.0 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,819 | 51.8% | 86.4% | −34.6 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 78.2% of the decisions that granted degenerative arthritis of the spine.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 25.2% of grants and 9.7% 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 | 1,918 | 54.7% | 78.4% | −23.6 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 1,734 | 52.4% | 83.4% | −31.0 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied degenerative arthritis of the spine
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability99
- Current diagnosis established63
- Service connection established53
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability27
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service14
- New and material evidence received to reopen claim7
- Secondary service connection granted6
- New and material evidence submitted5
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service88
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim61
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis56
- Service records negative or silent46
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability21
- Current diagnosis established20
- No continuity of symptomatology20
- Continuity of symptomatology since service11
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
Lumbar spine condition found secondary to left knee condition; VA and private opinions provided positive nexus; Resolved doubt in Veteran's favor
Secondary to service-connected right knee disability; Caused or aggravated by service-connected right knee disability; Resolved doubt in Veteran's favor
No in-service onset for lumbar spine disability.; Service-connected for right and left knee disabilities.; Private physician opinion linked lumbar spine disability to knee injuries.; Opinion was probative and supported by medical articles.; Evidence found in equipoise; doubt resolved in Veteran's favor.
Denied
Lack of in-service complaints or diagnosis of back condition; Medical opinions attributed condition to age and non-service factors; Veteran's lay assertions insufficient to establish nexus without medical evidence
Veteran not competent to provide nexus opinion; Private opinion lacked probative value and rationale; Issue raised late in appeal process, no duty to assist
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.
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 knee 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.