The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc and joint disease of the cervical spine with involvement of the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands, as well as for degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbosacral spine with radiculopathy of the right leg. The RO previously denied these claims in January 1992 due to a lack of probative evidence indicating service connection.
The deciding factor: The veteran's submitted medical evidence did not causally link his degenerative disc and joint disease to his military service or to his already service-connected lumbosacral strain.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 16, 2002
- Citation
- 0212176
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 0212176.
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 granted a 40 percent disability rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability since September 26, 2024.
- Dismissed
The appeal to reopen the previous denial of service connection for lumbosacral strain is dismissed as the benefit sought has been fully granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and spinal stenosis based on the Veteran's in-service back injury and chronicity of symptoms.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease, finding that the evidence is at least equally balanced in favor of a relationship to an in-service motor vehicle accident.
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