The Board finds that the Appellant's lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hand neurological disorders are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or continuity of symptomatology after service. The VA examiners concluded that these conditions were less likely caused by or aggravated by military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners determined the Appellant's lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hand neurological disorders are not related to his service due to lack of evidence of a chronic condition during service or continuity of symptomatology after service. The examiner also noted that these conditions were more likely caused by employment-related activities post-service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 31, 2017
- Citation
- 1730311
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 1730311.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the July 2019 rating decision.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and radiculopathies of both lower extremities have been granted, with effective dates from December 3, 2020, to October 7, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD and tinnitus are granted service connection, while anxiety is denied. The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome do not meet the criteria for service connection.,Service connection for left elbow tendinitis is remanded due to lack of evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran is not eligible for PCAFC benefits due to a lack of personal care services and supervision. The decision will be remanded to allow for further review by VA.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.