The Board granted service connection for residuals of a back injury of the lumbar spine and bilateral radiculopathy, and awarded a total disability rating based on individual unemployability as of May 9, 2019.
The deciding factor: The Veteran is entitled to the benefit of the doubt and the Board finds that the residuals of a back injury of the lumbar spine began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease, to include wear and tear related to the Veteran's MOS as a medical specialist. The Veteran has also been diagnosed with bilateral radiculopathy as secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a back injury of the lumbar spine (also claimed as lumbar radiculopathy, sacroilitis, and lumbar spondylosis), Bilateral radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- June 4, 2025
- Citation
- 25007501
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 remands the matter for additional evidentiary development to properly assess the severity of the Veteran's back disability, including a retrospective opinion on range of motion findings prior to April 5, 2022.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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