The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his in-service injury and did not manifest within one year of separation.,The Board also denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, concluding that it was more likely due to an accident in 1999 rather than a service-connected injury.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's current low back disability is more likely related to aging and recent trauma (2003 motor vehicle accident) rather than his in-service injury.,For cervical spine issues, the examiner noted significant injuries from 1999 and concluded that the current degenerative changes are due to multiple factors including normal aging.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability, Degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19147707
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 785 · Granted: 27% (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 19147707.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that there is no nexus between the current disability and active duty service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
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