The Veteran's low back disorder is not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year thereafter. The current low back disability is less likely caused by his military service.,Insomnia and neuropsychiatric disorders are also not service-connected, with the Veteran's conditions more likely related to post-military incarceration rather than service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a nexus between the current low back disability and service. The Veteran has only one episode of mechanical lower back pain during service which is unlikely to cause his current condition.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran's insomnia or neuropsychiatric disorder to service, with the conditions more likely related to post-military incarceration.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disorder, Insomnia, Neuropsychiatric Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2016
- Citation
- 1610482
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 1610482.
What this means for you
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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 remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding the relationship between any current acquired psychiatric disorder and service, specifically a claimed in-service personal assault. The Veteran's contentions are that he did not report or seek treatment for this assault because he feared it would complicate his discharge.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a separate disability rating for insomnia is denied as it is subsumed under his service-connected PTSD.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied as no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the July 1986 denial, making the June 9, 2017, claim without legal merit.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for OSA is denied as no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the April 2013 denial, making the June 9, 2017, claim without legal merit.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for insomnia is granted as the evidence supports a finding that his current insomnia began during and has continued since service, and was at least as likely as not caused by service.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 70 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected MDD, including insomnia and anxiety disorder, effective from November 13, 2024. The decision concludes that the Veteran's symptoms have most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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