The Board denied service connection for a herniated disc of the lumbar spine, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between the Veteran's current condition and his in-service back strain. The preponderance of evidence supports the conclusion that the Veteran's post-service back issues are not related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The April 2010 VA examination opinion concluded that the Veteran’s low back condition is less likely as not due to his in-service low back pain, given the lack of radicular symptoms and the absence of a recurrence of back pain at separation.
- Claimed conditions
- herniated disc of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2018
- Citation
- 18110909
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 18110909.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the case for further development to obtain a retrospective medical opinion addressing functional loss during flareups and with repeated use over time prior to June 2021, as the previous opinions did not provide sufficient information regarding the Veteran's functional loss.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and generalized anxiety disorder, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, as well as total disability due to individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for herniated disc of the lumbar spine, acute sinusitis with sinus headaches, and pingueculas of the bilateral eyes are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered another remand to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine symptomatology and whether it represents or represented at any point during the period on appeal the functional equivalent of ankylosis.
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.