The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability and sciatica of the left leg, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during service. The Veteran's current sciatica of the left leg is also found to be secondary to his now-service-connected lower back disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was in relative equipoise regarding the onset of the Veteran's lower back and left leg disabilities, with credible lay statements supporting the continuity of symptoms since service. The sciatica of the left leg is also considered secondary to the service-connected back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back disability, sciatica of the left leg
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 8, 2023
- Citation
- 23027236
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 23027236.
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 has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reconsider the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip, left knee, right hip, and lower back disabilities. The claim for left hip disability is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee and lower back disabilities due to incomplete information about the Veteran's duty status during his periods of active service in the National Guard and Reserves.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back disability, finding that it is etiologically related to his in-service duties of lifting heavy equipment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back disability, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, CFS, and PTSD due to lack of a current diagnosis. The appeal is now remanded for further development.
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