The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disorder but denied service connection for a pulmonary disorder (chronic bronchitis and COPD). The lower back disorder is found to be at least as likely as not related to active duty service. However, the pulmonary disorder is not related to active duty service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's lower back disorder had its onset during service or was otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. In contrast, there was no evidence of a chronic respiratory disorder prior to service and the current pulmonary disorder is not linked to active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back disorder, pulmonary disorder (chronic bronchitis and COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20006537
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,948 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20006537.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right hip, and right ankle disorders as secondary to his left knee disorder. The AOJ must obtain VA examinations and provide answers to questions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left leg shin splints and lower back disorder due to new evidence received by the Veteran. The VA will conduct further examinations and consider any additional evidence before making a decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lower back disorder. The case will be returned for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a lower back disorder, finding that the preexisting spondylolisthesis did not increase in severity during active duty and was not aggravated by service.
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