The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current lumbosacral strain with arthritis to his military service, including a shrapnel wound in Vietnam. The claim was denied as there is insufficient medical evidence to support the connection.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence showing that the veteran's current back disability is related to an injury or disease incurred during his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 9, 2006
- Citation
- 0634865
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,592 · Granted: 19% (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 0634865.
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 higher rating for lumbosacral strain with arthritis was granted, receiving an initial disability rating of 40 percent. The other service connection claims were denied.
- Granted
The appellant is granted SMC(o) and SMC(r)(1) based on his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, glaucoma, foot drop conditions, sleep apnea, migraines, overactive bladder, and various musculoskeletal issues. He does not qualify for higher rates due to the anatomical loss or use of extremities.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the evaluation of lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine was granted, while other claims were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with arthritis and service connection for a right elbow disorder.
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