The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain alone does not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran suffers from multiple severe nonservice connected disabilities, including arthritis in his right shoulder and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, which prevent him from working.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain, arthritis of the lumbar spine, degenerative disc disease, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, depressive disorder, hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 12, 2011
- Citation
- 1114307
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 1114307.
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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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
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