The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed upper and lower back disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and are not presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to Agent Orange or other environmental factors. The veteran's current back conditions are considered unrelated to his military service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's current upper and lower back disabilities were caused by events in service or any incident therein, including an alleged fall in August 1952. The VA examiners concluded that the veteran sustained only soft tissue injuries during service which resolved without residual disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease, Degenerative disc disease, Chronic strain of the upper back, Chronic lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2001
- Citation
- 0104459
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 0104459.
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.
- Denied
The appeal for an increased rating for left hip, the claims for entitlement to an earlier effective date and an increased rating for right knee strain, and the appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left shoulder strain were dismissed. The claim for a 40 percent rating from June 24, 2021 for degenerative disc disease was granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to a cervical spine disability due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, effective December 8, 2025.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a higher initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and scoliosis, but remanded the other issues.
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