The Board found that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder did not become manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is not shown to be etiologically related to service or a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's back disorder manifested many years after service and was not caused by his service-connected left knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the thoracolumbar spine, Arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2016
- Citation
- 1618296
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1618296.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examiner's opinion regarding whether his service-connected disabilities result in loss of use and if so, whether he requires aid and attendance without considering such disability/ies. The Veteran also needs to be considered for SMC R1 based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for an effective date of March 26, 2018, for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with IVDS and associated right lower extremity radiculopathy has been granted. The rating assigned is 40 percent.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for the Veteran's low back disability, left ankle disability, and lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as a TDIU.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of a 50 percent rating for TMJ disorder and denied a higher rating, while also granting an initial 40 percent rating for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and denying a higher rating.
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