The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired low back disorder, finding no evidence of such a condition in service or post-service. The decision also noted that there was no current disability and therefore it followed that the veteran did not have a compensable degree of a listed disability within one year after service.
The deciding factor: The Board found no medical evidence linking a current low back disorder to service, as required by law for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic acquired low back disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2002
- Citation
- 0202343
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 0202343.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including VA examinations to determine if any chronic acquired low back and bilateral hip disorders are related to service or service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his chronic acquired low back disorder and for an earlier effective date for TDIU.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating, secondary service connection, and direct service connection for his ankle disorders. The evidence did not support granting any of these claims.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral pes planus, chronic acquired low back disorder, and hypertension are all service-connected as direct results of his active duty service. The claims for secondary service connection were not granted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.