The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that it is less likely than not that the Veteran's current low back disability is related to service due to post-service injuries to the thoracic spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2017
- Citation
- 1708513
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 1708513.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, back injury, and bilateral knee disabilities (PFS). The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered direct findings of his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of L5-S1, claimed as mid/low back disorder. The Veteran's current diagnosis is supported by his in-service treatment records and ongoing symptoms.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (degenerative disc disease of L5-S1 and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity) render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU effective June 14, 2010.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied, and the Board remanded it for further development. The case is now being returned to the AOJ for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an orthopedic examination.
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