The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, finding that it is not at least as likely as not related to his active duty or due to or aggravated by a service-connected condition. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of right ankle fracture was also denied, and the TDIU claim remains pending.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of a direct relationship between the Veteran's low back disability and his active duty service, concluding that it is more likely due to his service-connected right ankle fracture. The examiner noted mild degenerative disc disease in the low back but did not find any causative link.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability, Right ankle fracture
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 19, 2013
- Citation
- 1330097
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 1330097.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's motion to revise a March 1975 rating decision that assigned an initial noncompensable disability rating for service-connected right ankle fracture, finding no CUE in the decision.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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