The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and denied increased ratings for right eye pterygium, left eye pterygium (prior to June 12, 2013), and left eye pterygium (as of June 12, 2013 and onwards).,The Board found no causal connection between the Veteran's service and his lumbar spine disability. The Board also denied increased ratings for right eye pterygium and left eye pterygium based on lack of evidence showing incapacitating episodes.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran’s lumbar spine disability was not related to service, as there were no medical records indicating a chronic back condition prior to his separation from service. The Board found this opinion more persuasive than the Veteran's assertions.,There were no incapacitating episodes documented for the right eye pterygium, and the left eye pterygium did not result in visual impairment or disfigurement.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar spine disability, Right eye pterygium, Left eye pterygium
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20074306
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The veteran's bad conduct discharge precludes eligibility for VA benefits, including compensation and healthcare.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left foot crush injury, and sciatic radiculopathy of both lower extremities, also secondary to the newly service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder and a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.
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.