The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis with abnormal curvature of the lumbar spine and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current diagnoses to his in-service injury or to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis with abnormal curvature of the lumbar spine, Left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26023802
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 A26023802.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for an automobile allowance was granted, while several other claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board also denied the claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including generalized anxiety disorder and orthopedic conditions, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as there was no evidence to support higher ratings or a grant of service connection.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50% disability rating for the Veteran's back disability, denied higher ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and denied a higher rating for tinnitus. The Veteran was also granted TDIU from February 16, 2021 to November 6, 2023, and an earlier effective date for DEA benefits.
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