The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support finding that his current back condition began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury.,For PTSD, the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent prior to May 21, 2012 was denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of his PTSD symptoms did not more closely approximate total occupational and social impairment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs showed treatment for back pain in 1988 but no chronic condition prior to a work injury in 2009. The VA examiner found the Veteran’s current diagnoses of IVDS, DJD, degenerative disc disease (DDD), and arthritis were not related to his service.,The Veteran's PTSD symptoms did not meet the criteria for total occupational and social impairment as defined by the General Formula for Mental Disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- back disability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sciatica of the right lower extremity, sciatica of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071790
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 998 · Granted: 40% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20071790.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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