The Board found that the appellant's low back and neck disabilities are more likely due to a civilian injury in August 1988, rather than an in-service injury in September 1984.
The deciding factor: The VA compensation examination concluded that the current disabilities are less likely related to the service-connected injury from INACDUTRA.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back/lumbar spine disability, Neck/cervical spine disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 18, 2013
- Citation
- 1322976
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1322976.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and neck/cervical spine disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing continuity of symptoms since service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities, including whether they are related to exposure to Agent Orange during service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
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