The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the condition was not incurred or aggravated during active military service and did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.
The deciding factor: The evidence on file clearly and unmistakably demonstrated that anterior wedging of T12 and bilateral spondylolysis at L5 preexisted service and were not aggravated, to include through superimposed injury, during service. Current low back disorders found not to have preexisted service such as degenerative disc disease or degenerative arthritis are not of service origin.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2008
- Citation
- 0814898
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a low back disorder to obtain additional medical evidence and ensure that the Veteran is afforded every possible consideration.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a low back disorder was dismissed as the RO granted service connection in a November 2023 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a low back disorder to obtain additional evidence and an adequate medical opinion in compliance with previous remand instructions.
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