The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine arthritis and cervical spine arthritis as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service, nor was there any evidence of arthritis manifesting to a compensable degree within one year of discharge.
The deciding factor: The September 2007 VA medical examiner concluded that the veteran's current cervical and lumbar spine disorders were not related to his period of active military service based on review of the claims folder and examination of the veteran. The Board found no competent evidence linking these conditions to service, and thus denied the claims.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine arthritis, cervical spine arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 2, 2008
- Citation
- 0814695
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 Board remands the matter for an opinion addressing the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis, without considering the beneficial effects of medication.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for cervical spine arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, traumatic brain injury (TBI), seizure disorder, and erectile dysfunction has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development, specifically to obtain relevant Social Security Administration records.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for initial increased ratings for thoracolumbar spine arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, bilateral lower extremity femoral radiculopathy, and a scar.
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