The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral degenerative disease, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his in-service slip-and-fall injury and that there was no evidence of a continuity of symptoms since service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the current degenerative disease could have resulted from the passage of time alone without any injury, and the Veteran engaged in employment requiring heavy lifting which suggested other etiologies for his disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral degenerative disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19170374
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 19170374.
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 Board granted the restoration of a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral degenerative disease, effective June 1, 2024.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of hypertension, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and lumbosacral degenerative disease was granted as his substantive appeal was received within 60 days of the RO notifying him that he did not receive a December 27, 2016 SOC.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbosacral degenerative disease is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess its current severity.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, lumbosacral degenerative disease, and bilateral pes planus. The Board found that there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to military service.
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