The Veteran's prostate condition, diagnosed as benign prostate hyperplasia, is not service-connected due to lack of a direct link between the condition and his military service.,For his lumbar spine disability, the Board found that there was no evidence supporting a finding that it began during service or was related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's current 20% rating for this condition remains unchanged.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s prostate condition is related to his military service, specifically due to lack of a direct link between the condition and his military service. The VA examiner's opinion was considered probative in this regard.,There was no evidence showing ankylosis or other severe impairment of the lumbar spine, thus preventing a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5237.
- Claimed conditions
- Prostate condition (benign prostate hyperplasia), Lumbar spine disability, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right ankle sprain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20048154
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 20048154.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of July 10, 2024 for service connection for PTSD, lumbar strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Denied
The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was evaluated at a 20 percent rating, and the Board found that it did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the claims for psychiatric disability and sleep apnea.,Service connection was granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to a service-connected back disability, but denied for right wrist disability.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease prior to August 1, 2025 was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy prior to March 10, 2025 were denied as there is no neurological impairment associated with these conditions.
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