The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and a psychiatric disorder. The evidence supports the conclusion that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.,The VA examiner found no nexus between the claimed low back condition and service, while the private examiner concluded that the Veteran's physical job duties during service likely caused his back condition.
The deciding factor: Both medical opinions supported the conclusion that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service. The private examiner provided a rationale based on the Veteran's MRIs showing disc bulging and degenerative changes shortly after leaving service, which was attributed to his job duties.,The VA examiner did not find a nexus between the low back condition and service.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disability, Radiculopathy of the Sciatic Nerve - Right Lower Extremity, Radiculopathy of the Sciatic Nerve - Left Lower Extremity, Psychiatric Disorder (Adjustment Disorder with Depressed and Anxious Mood)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24063699
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A24063699.
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 decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to obtain private treatment records from Mays & Schnapp Pain Management and schedule the Veteran for additional medical examinations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, including diagnosed degenerative arthritis with DDD other than intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis status post L3, L4, and L5 laminectomy. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury and his ongoing symptoms since then.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder disability, low back condition, bilateral knee disabilities, and left shoulder strain have been granted service connection. The Veteran's low back condition has been increased to a 40 percent evaluation, while the bilateral knee conditions remain at their current 10 percent evaluations.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there is no persuasive evidence of current diagnoses or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
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