The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted which is sufficient to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include as secondary to the service-connected lumbosacral strain. The veteran's claims for increased rating for lumbosacral strain are also addressed.
The deciding factor: New and material evidence was found in the form of statements from the veteran indicating that his mental health disorder is secondary to his service-connected back injury, as well as medical records linking his psychiatric problems to injuries and trauma experienced during service. The Board has decided to grant the reopening of the claim for service connection on a secondary basis.
- Claimed conditions
- psychiatric disorder, lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 22, 2003
- Citation
- 0321124
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0321124.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and lumbar radicopathy, right side, secondary to the lumbosacral strain.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.
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