The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher initial rating, granting only a 40 percent evaluation for his lumbar spine disability.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the fact that the Veteran's primary disability of PTSD with depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder is service-connected, effective December 1, 2014, which sets the earliest possible date for secondary service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), with lumbosacral strain, back scar
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 15, 2025
- Citation
- A25044002
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 right knee strain, left hip strain, right hip arthritis, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic iliotibial band syndrome of the left knee. The appeal was denied for service connection for right ear hearing loss.
- Dismissed
The appeal for earlier effective dates and initial ratings for service-connected conditions was withdrawn by the Veteran, thus these claims are dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeals to reopen claims of entitlement to service connection for a back scar and a stomach scar as new and material evidence has been received, but additional action is required due to an unaddressed hearing request.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a back disorder, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and a back scar. The claims for hearing loss, headaches, traumatic brain injury (TBI), sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and restless leg syndrome (RLS) were denied.
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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.