The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. The Veteran's low back disorder was not shown to be related to his military service, and the Board found no evidence of continuity of symptoms since service. For PTSD, the Board noted that total occupational and social impairment due to service-connected PTSD has not been shown at any time during the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's low back disorder was not initially manifested in service or within one year post-service, and there is no evidence of continuity of symptoms since service. The VA examiners' opinions were against a finding that the current low back disorder is related to service. For PTSD, the Board found no evidence of total occupational and social impairment due to service-connected PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Low Back Disorder"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- October 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20068575
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
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