The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar disorders are not etiologically related to his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence in the claims file indicating a specific mechanism of injury during service, and thus concluded the current disabilities are less likely than not caused by or incurred in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical Disorder, Lumbar Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 3, 2016
- Citation
- 1642409
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 1642409.
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: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected lumbar disorder rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to May 30, 2017.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due solely to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the statutory housebound rate.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his active duty service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, lumbar, cervical neck, right knee, and left knee disorders due to inadequate etiological opinions.
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