The Board granted service connection for a back condition, variously diagnosed as IVDS and spinal stenosis, finding that the Veteran's back issues started during his active duty service and continued to the present.
The deciding factor: The Board found credible statements from the Veteran and the September 2020 examiner indicating an onset of back issues during service which worsened over time, without a noted post-service injury to explain the condition. The lack of treatment records was deemed inadequate for forming a negative nexus opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), spinal stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- June 24, 2025
- Citation
- 25008316
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 claims for service connection for spinal stenosis, peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and spinal stenosis based on the Veteran's in-service back injury and chronicity of symptoms.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 20 percent rating for intervertebral disc syndrome based on limited cervical range of motion and a 40 percent rating for IVDS based on limited thoracolumbar range of motion, while dismissing the appeal for service connection for a right knee disability.
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