The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder (lumbar spine) as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that led to his current diagnoses of degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease. The Board found that the Veteran's current back disorders were not related to any event, injury, or illness during service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners concluded that the Veteran's current back disorders (degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease) did not have a direct link to an in-service injury in March 1982 due to insufficient evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease, Degenerative Disc Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19166907
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,429 · Granted: 29% (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 19166907.
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: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance claims have been granted effective from November 23, 2019.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's increased rating claims for his lumbar and cervical spine conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error and requires an additional VA examination for the Veteran's back disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence in support of the Veteran's previously denied service-connection claim for a back condition to include degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease. The case is being remanded for further review.
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