The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease.,The Board also found that secondary service connection could not be established as the Veteran is not currently service connected for any condition from which the radiculopathy may be considered secondary.
The deciding factor: There was no credible evidence showing a chronic thoracolumbar spine disability during active duty or continuity of symptomatology thereafter. The Board found that the current condition likely resulted from an acute injury in 2010, unrelated to service.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was not shown to be present during service and there is no evidence of a chronic disease within one year following discharge.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracolumbar spine disability, Left lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 23, 2023
- Citation
- 23011405
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 23011405.
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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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of his cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, left shoulder, right shoulder, upper extremity neurological, and lower extremity neurological disabilities due to inadequate VA medical examinations in March 2019 and January-May 2016. The new examinations must consider the Veteran's reported onset dates for his symptoms.
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