The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine. The appeal was remanded multiple times, but the claims were ultimately denied.
The deciding factor: The claims were denied as there was no direct evidence linking the claimed disabilities to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar spine disability, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 11, 2013
- Citation
- 1329132
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 1329132.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to a predecisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's past medical history needs to be considered in the new examination.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disorder, gout, multiple painful joints, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a right shoulder condition, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, and TBI residuals due to potential errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions.
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