The appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine was dismissed due to a procedural defect in the claims processing.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on a procedural defect related to concurrent elections under the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA).
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25038218
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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 degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine as there was no evidence of an in-service incurrence or a relationship to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and in excess of 10 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) to ensure compliance with the duty to assist.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to August 28, 2017, and a rating in excess of 20 percent from that date.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.