The Veteran's increased spinal evaluations and additional radiculopathy diagnoses were only factually ascertainable after the date of his original claim, leading to an effective date of February 25, 2016.
The deciding factor: Incomplete medical and lay evidence related to the October 2016 VA medical examination rendered the determinations on appeal based on this report inadequate.
- Claimed conditions
- Mechanical lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease L4-L5 with disc protrusions at T2-3 and T3-4 (lumbar spine disability), Cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (cervical spine disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 9, 2026
- Citation
- A26033033
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 A26033033.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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