The Board has granted service connection for a chronic lumbar spine disability with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for a chronic muscle spasm disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs show treatment for back pain and muscle spasms during active service. The VA examiner opined that the current lumbar spine disability was more likely than not due to his active service. However, there is no evidence of a diagnosed muscle spasm disorder separate from his lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, chronic muscle spasm disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20080720
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for initial ratings higher than the assigned percentages for service-connected conditions, including migraine headaches, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbosacral strain, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, SMC at the M level based on loss of use of the lower extremities, and SMC at the O level based on the award of SMC L and SMC M. The claim for SMC based on housebound status was dismissed as moot.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, bilateral hand tremors, and bilateral restless leg syndrome. The Board also granted an increased rating of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding no evidence of a current disability or sufficient link to military service.
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