The Veteran's claims for bowel disorder, radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve, lumbar IVDS, and PTSD with anxiety, adjustment disorder, and depression have all been denied.,The case is also remanded to address the issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED) and urinary incontinence.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence does not support a current diagnosis of bowel disorder or leakage. The Veteran's statements about having such a condition are less probative than those made to his medical providers.,For radiculopathy, the Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms more closely approximated moderately severe incomplete paralysis rather than complete paralysis.
- Claimed conditions
- Bowel Disorder, Radiculopathy of the Right Sciatic Nerve, Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Syndrome (IVDS), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Anxiety, Adjustment Disorder, and Depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20028740
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 20028740.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied prior to March 17, 2017 due to his service-connected orthopedic disabilities. From March 17, 2017, the Veteran has been granted a TDIU based solely on his service-connected orthopedic disabilities.,The Veteran is now eligible for SMC at the housebound rate since November 22, 2017 due to his combined rating of 100 percent and other service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine and radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve have been granted increased ratings.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability and radiculopathy of the sciatic nerves have been granted initial evaluations, with a focus on the lumbar spine and bilateral sciatica. The evaluations are effective from October 16, 2013.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's kidney disorder and heart disorder were denied as not related to service.,The Veteran's bowel disorder and headaches were remanded for further evaluation.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.