The Board found that the veteran's current low back disorder, including lumbosacral strain with radiculitis to the lower extremities and spondylosis/spondylolisthesis at L5-S1, is not related to his military service. The evidence did not show a chronic condition during or shortly after service, nor was there any indication of such a condition until 1999 following an on-the-job injury.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the veteran's current low back disorder is not due to his active military service and lacks credible evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service. The lack of contemporaneous complaints of back problems during or shortly after service, combined with a significant gap in time between service separation and the first documented symptoms, weighs against the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with radiculitis to the lower extremities, spondylosis and spondylolisthesis at L5-S1, disc herniation at L4-5
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2008
- Citation
- 0834702
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0834702.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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