The Board denied the claim for service connection for a low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease, due to the lack of evidence showing a chronic condition in service or within the applicable presumptive period and the absence of a nexus between the Veteran's current disability and his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's low back disorder was related to his active duty service, as there were no complaints or treatment for many years after discharge, and the clinical evidence attributed the condition to degenerative changes rather than an in-service event.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 10, 2009
- Citation
- 0904689
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
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