The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and denied an increased evaluation for PTSD. The veteran's current low back disorder is considered to be related to his active military service, while the PTSD symptoms are not shown to warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not establish a direct link between the veteran's current low back disorder and his active military service. The VA examination did not find any significant de novo changes at the disc spaces or facet joints, indicating that the veteran's current condition is more likely related to post-service factors such as work-related injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disorder, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 13, 2003
- Citation
- 0308981
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,643 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0308981.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, bilateral knee disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral lower extremity conditions and PTSD, resulted in a loss of use of both lower extremities such that he is entitled to specially adapted housing.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the evidence did not show an in-service onset or relationship to service.
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