The Board has denied service connection for lumbar degenerative joint and disc disease with residuals of lumbar fusion laminectomy, right lumbar radiculopathy, and left lumbar radiculopathy as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service or any service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found no medical nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his active duty service, concluding that the Veteran did not experience back problems during service and that his current lumbar spine condition is due to normal degenerative changes over time.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative joint and disc disease with residuals of lumbar fusion laminectomy, right lumbar radiculopathy, left lumbar radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20080740
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (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 20080740.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for right and left lumbar radiculopathy as the underlying primary low back disability is not an adjudicated service-connected condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, transient global amnesia, tinnitus, and PTSD have been denied. The Board has found that there is no competent evidence of these conditions during the pendency of the claim.,For the lumbar spine disability, the Veteran was granted service connection but a higher rating remains in dispute.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic sinusitis, fibromyalgia, and CFS. The Veteran's hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy, shoulder disability, knee meniscal tear, knee limitation of extension, knee scars, GERD, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and PTSD were also not rated higher than their current levels.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.