The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine arthritis, finding that there was no evidence linking the current condition to his active military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded it was less likely than not that the Veteran's current back disability began during or was due to his military service, based on the brief in-service back pain and an absence of back-related problems for 25 years thereafter.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2009
- Citation
- 0907219
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine arthritis and degenerative disc disease, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbar spine arthritis and cervical spine arthritis to obtain an addendum opinion regarding whether in-service physical activity caused these disabilities.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.