The Veteran's claim for service connection for (DDD) of the lumbar spine is denied as there is no evidence that his current condition began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection is granted for patellofemoral syndrome, right knee, claimed as chondromalacia and degenerative joint disease. The Board finds that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s back disability began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The VA examiner found no chronicity leading to the current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, and attributed the Veteran's condition to repetitive stress, genetic predisposition, and loss of fluid from disc spaces.
- Claimed conditions
- (DDD) of the lumbar spine (claimed as lumbar back injury), patellofemoral syndrome, right knee, claimed as chondromalacia and degenerative joint disease (DJD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20069960
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for various conditions, including left eye condition, right eye condition, hypertension, left knee, right knee, obstructive sleep apnea, and coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as denied an earlier effective date for CAD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a right leg disability, kidney cancer, including residuals, and bilateral knee disabilities as the evidence did not support that these conditions began during active service or are related to an in-service injury or disease.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for headaches, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, right knee, left knee, and right shoulder was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for traumatic brain injury, stress fracture of the right foot, bilateral flat feet, and bilateral hearing loss due to untimely Notices of Disagreement. The claim for a right knee disability was remanded.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.