The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left arm nerve condition including carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA doctors concluded that the Veteran's current lumbar spine spondylosis and left arm nerve condition including carpal tunnel syndrome were more likely related to post-service motor vehicle accidents than to any injury or disease during his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine spondylosis, left arm nerve condition including carpal tunnel syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18139903
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 18139903.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine spondylosis as aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with degenerative arthritis, and also granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the degenerative joint disease from April 18, 2024.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an effective date prior to November 4, 2009, for the grant of service connection for a back disability and granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claims for initial ratings, secondary service connection, and TDIU were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent from June 20, 2016, to October 22, 2019, and in excess of 10 percent from October 23, 2019, for lumbar spine spondylosis due to a need for additional medical evidence regarding the severity of the disability without the ameliorative effects of pain medication.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for service connection of a back disability secondary to a service-connected right knee disability is remanded. The Board needs more medical evidence.
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