The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back disability, finding that he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.
The deciding factor: The veteran did not appear at scheduled VA examinations and no good cause was provided for his failure to attend.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 11, 2003
- Citation
- 0319904
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 0319904.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for low back pain and right hip pain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, a 30 percent rating for migraine headaches from January 22, 2023, but denied increased ratings for dermatitis and allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for low back pain and migraines, effective October 1, 2019. The claim for sciatic nerve pain was remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for DMII and PN due to diabetes, but denied service connection for low back pain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back pain, left shoulder osteoarthritis, right shoulder rotator cuff, right bicep tendonitis, left bicep tendonitis, obstructive sleep apnea, and Meniere's Syndrome (vertigo) to address duty-to-assist errors.
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.