The Veteran's lower back nerve damage and left leg pain are found to be a result of VA's failure to timely diagnose and treat an epidural abscess caused by a steroid injection, resulting in permanent disability. Compensation is granted under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
The deciding factor: The Veteran developed complications from a VA-administered epidural injection that led to an epidural abscess, which resulted in chronic low back pain and left leg weakness. The Board found the evidence at least equipoise with respect to whether the delay in diagnosis and treatment caused additional disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back nerve damage, left leg pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19177524
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 940 · Granted: 21% (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 19177524.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for left leg pain is denied because his period of dishonorable service from December 1985 to December 1986 serves as a bar to VA benefits.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical examinations.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but denied for hearing loss.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and notification issues. The AOJ must obtain addendum medical opinions addressing whether the Veteran's back, hip, and leg disabilities are directly related to his active service or secondary to a previously service-connected condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant records from federal custody.
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