The Board found that the veteran's current diagnosed back disability is not related to his period of service and denied the claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: There was no probative medical opinion linking the current back disability to the veteran's period of service, including in-service complaints of low back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease at L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2006
- Citation
- 0639395
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 0639395.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent since June 5, 2017. A separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was granted prior to March 1, 2016. The remaining issues are being remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 is rated as 20 percent disabling, effective from the date of the rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for all conditions and a higher initial rating for the residuals of laceration of the right fourth finger.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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.