The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative changes at L5-S1, including degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, were not related to service or service-connected conditions. The opinion of a VA examiner supported this finding.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the current condition at L5-S1 was below the level of L3-L4 where the service-connected condition originated, thus not caused by or made worse by the service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Changes at L5-S1, Degenerative Disc Disease at L3-L4
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 13, 2014
- Citation
- 1436249
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 1436249.
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.
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