The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service back injury or chronic back pain during service and that the current condition is more likely due to post-service activities.
The deciding factor: The 2022 VA examiner opined that the Veteran's current thoracolumbar spine disorder was not related to his military service, citing a lack of evidence of in-service back pain or chronic symptoms, as well as the onset of degenerative changes after the age of 50.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2025
- Citation
- 25007661
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and a left shoulder disability as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied an earlier effective date for the Veteran's award of service-connected compensation for headaches and remanded claims for increased rating, service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 30 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy effective June 26, 2023, as the reduction was improper.
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