The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, but denied the underlying de novo claim of service connection. The RO also denied the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the March 1997 denial supports reopening the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, but does not establish service connection due to lack of competent evidence linking the current condition to active military duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2003
- Citation
- 0334252
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 0334252.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability and arthritis, to include bilateral hips and knees, due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, prostate disability, and kidney cancer due to inadequate medical opinions and potential outstanding VA treatment records.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, finding no current diagnosis and that the Veteran's reported symptoms were not supported by medical evidence. The issues of service connection for a low back disability and entitlement to TDIU are remanded.
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