The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss of use of either foot or lower extremity, and the Board finds that his inability to walk without crutches is due to spinal conditions rather than a service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a finding of loss of use of the legs as a result of any service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Migraine headaches, Chronic pain syndrome, Degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, Bladder diverticulum, Idiopathic thrombocytopenia to include myelodysplastic disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 13, 2010
- Citation
- 1025993
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1025993.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that there is no nexus between the current disability and active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for traumatic brain injury and migraine headaches due to right eye removal are granted. The claim for a compensable evaluation of xeroderma of the right eye is remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased initial disability rating for migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 50% rating due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.
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