The Board found that the evidence submitted since the April 1998 rating decision is not new and material, thus denying the reopening of the claim for service connection for lower back pain/strain.
The deciding factor: The additional evidence did not provide a causal relationship between the appellant's current back disorder and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back pain/strain
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 18, 2001
- Citation
- 0118744
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 0118744.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for joint pain right ankle, left knee condition, and lower back pain/strain due to his withdrawal of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, pharyngitis, upper respiratory infection, lower back pain/strain, and left thigh pain/strain due to inadequate VA examinations.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, including muscle strain and lower back pain/strain, has been granted by the RO. The Veteran is now assigned a 40 percent rating effective December 9, 2014.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
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