The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his low back pain with herniated disc are not well-grounded. The cervical spine disability claim is denied as there is no medical evidence of a nexus between the current condition and service, while the low back pain claim remains at 20% due to moderate intervertebral disc syndrome.
The deciding factor: The veteran's claims for both service connection and increased rating were not well-grounded based on lack of competent medical evidence linking his current conditions to service or showing a worsening of his existing condition. The Board found that the veteran's low back pain with herniated disc warranted only a 20% evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5293.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine disability, low back pain with herniated disc
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 31, 2000
- Citation
- 0020058
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 0020058.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and chronic pain syndrome due to untimely notices of disagreement.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are causally or etiologically due to his time in service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
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