The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a spine disorder, finding that there was no medical evidence establishing a link between her current spinal condition and an in-service injury or disease. The examiner could not provide a clear opinion without resorting to speculation.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner could not provide a clear opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's spinal condition due to insufficient information, and the Veteran has not been diagnosed with arthritis or any other chronic condition considered for statutory presumptions.
- Claimed conditions
- spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19125340
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,515 · Granted: 20% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19125340.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was submitted to warrant readjudicating the claims for service connection for a spine disorder, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The appeal is granted to this extent only.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders, including a left elbow disorder, spine disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral foot disorder, including pes planus, to schedule VA examinations.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his weight gain and if that contributed to his sleep apnea.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a spine disorder and bilateral ankle disorders are denied.,For the claim of service connection for a bilateral hand disorder, there is an inadequacy in the etiological opinion denying the claim. The claim will be remanded.
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