The Board denied service connection for a chronic low back disorder and arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding no evidence to support a link between current symptoms and incidents during active military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that current low back symptoms are not related to acute sprains during service, and there is no objective clinical evidence of continuity of symptoms for many years after service separation.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic low back disorder, arthritis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2001
- Citation
- 0124021
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 0124021.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, unspecified psychosis, arthritis of the lumbar spine, degenerative disc disease, multilevel spinal stenosis, and arthritis of the cervical spine and degenerative disc disease. The diagnoses are linked to in-service physical assaults.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for thoracolumbar strain, finding that it began in service and is related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic low back disorder and right leg disorder, finding that the current disabilities are not causally related to service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a low back disability and a cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding their incurrence during active duty.
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