The Veteran claims service connection for a back disability, including degenerative disc disease. The Board finds the incurrence element of the claim to be satisfied as he was hit by a hatch door in service and injured his lower back. However, further medical examination is needed to determine if there is a nexus between any current back injury and what happened in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records are negative for complaints or diagnoses related to the low back. A private treatment record from 1996 shows that he experienced pain in his back after stepping off a ladder, but no medical opinion is provided regarding its relation to service.
- Claimed conditions
- back disability, including degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2011
- Citation
- 1136974
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 1136974.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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