The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current back disability that is related to his active military service. The evidence shows that he had an in-service injury but no chronic condition was diagnosed until decades after service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a link between the Veteran's in-service injury and any current back disability, with the exception of degenerative changes noted on x-rays many years after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Back Injury, Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2012
- Citation
- 1202216
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 1202216.
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.
- Granted
An effective date of September 7, 2018 is granted for service connection of PTSD.,A higher initial rating for hiatal hernia prior to May 2, 2017 is denied.,TDIU from September 7, 2018 is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical spine disability and right upper extremity radiculopathy were denied increased evaluations. The TDIU claim was also denied prior to August 20, 2013.
- Granted
The Veteran's cause of death is determined to be causally related to his service-connected Degenerative Disc Disease and Degenerative Joint Disease, leading to a liver biopsy. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for DJD and rotator cuff tear of the left shoulder was dismissed because the VA Form 10182 was not timely filed.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.