The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and arthritis has been dismissed. The issues of service connection for recurrent right facial laceration scars, brain disorder to include lesions claimed as the result of exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water and jet fuel, and a dilated aorta with left ventricle hypertrophy are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and arthritis in November 2015.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, degenerative arthritis, recurrent right facial laceration scar residuals, dilated aorta, left ventricle hypertrophy
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 12, 2018
- Citation
- 18134568
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 18134568.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there are insufficient medical opinions and records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
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