The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar strain and cervical spine degenerative disc disease, finding that there is no evidence of onset during active duty or within one year post-service. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions are less likely than not caused by military service.
The deciding factor: There is no objective evidence that the Veteran's lumbar strain and cervical spine conditions had onset during active duty, or that either condition manifested to a compensable degree within one year of release from active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar strain, cervical spine degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20074370
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a higher rating in excess of the current ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for further development, including obtaining new medical opinions and examination reports to address the issues of service connection and increased ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and TDIU due to missing records.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, lumbar strain, and left knee strain. The initial rating period from March 5, 2024, was denied for allergic rhinitis.
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