The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic back condition and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claim for service connection was denied because there is no evidence linking the current back condition to his military service, while the claim for TDIU was granted as he met the schedular rating criteria.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current back condition had not been incurred in or caused by his active military service and did not establish continuity of symptomatology. The Veteran also did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU due to his combined disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic back condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- October 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20067874
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for chronic back condition, chronic eye condition, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claim for chronic sinusitis was remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a chronic back condition and remanded the right knee condition issue due to insufficient medical opinions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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