The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with multilevel degenerative disc and facet disease, right leg radiculopathy, left leg radiculopathy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and assigned initial ratings of 20 percent for a left ankle strain, 30 percent for chronic sinusitis, and 30 percent for headaches.
The deciding factor: The evidence is at least in equipoise as to the nexus between the Veteran's current back disability and service, and the radiculopathy and OSA are caused by the service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board finds that the probative evidence supports a direct link between the lumbosacral strain with multilevel degenerative disc and facet disease and the service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with multilevel degenerative disc and facet disease, right leg radiculopathy, left leg radiculopathy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), left ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25055258
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on the Veteran's exposure to in-service chemical agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to fibromyalgia due to a need for additional medical evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
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