The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and left ankle disability, finding that the Veteran's lumbar strain pre-existed his entry into service and was not aggravated by service. The claims were also denied as secondary to a service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s lumbar strain clearly and unmistakably preexisted service and was not aggravated during service, thus denying service connection for this disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disk syndrome (IVDS), spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19178801
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for spinal stenosis, peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a deviated septum and right wrist pain, while denying service connection for sleep apnea. The decision also addressed various rating issues and effective dates.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for further development, including obtaining new medical opinions and examination reports to address the issues of service connection and increased ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and TDIU due to missing records.
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