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Denied

The Board denied service connection for spinal stenosis and degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as these conditions are not related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board also denied service connection for a brain injury with memory issues (brain injury) and balance problems.

The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran's back disabilities began during active duty or were otherwise related to his military service. The VA examiner concluded that the current back conditions are less likely caused by an in-service injury, event, or rationale.,The VA examiner also stated that the bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy is more likely a complication of the Veteran's non-service connected back injuries.

Claimed conditions
Spinal stenosis and degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, Left lower extremity radiculopathy (numbness), Right lower extremity radiculopathy (numbness)
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
May 20, 2024
Citation
A24026442

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 A24026442.

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