Service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity sciatica has been granted as secondary to service-connected cervical spine degenerative joint disease (neck disability) and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (back disability).,Service connection for a heart condition and TBI have not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.
The deciding factor: The March 2020 VA opinion indicated that the Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy was at least as likely as not secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, which caused interval progression of the symptoms.,There is no new evidence received since the April 2015 rating decision supporting a diagnosis of heart condition or TBI.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Heart Condition, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 1, 2024
- Citation
- 24005094
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 24005094.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its residuals, including unsteady gait, somnolence, and cognitive dysfunction. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay statements about in-service head injuries and subsequent seizures.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and therefore, service connection for TBI is denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Chronic Dermatitis were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's CFS did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as his symptoms restricted routine daily activities to less than 50 percent of the pre-illness level. For Chronic Dermatitis, the Board determined that topical therapy was sufficient without requiring systemic therapy.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance due to service-connected TBI with PTSD is granted, effective September 6, 2018.
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