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Board of Veterans' Appeals · Legacy series

1. Entitlement to service connection for herniated nucleus pulposus with spinal stenosis, status post discectomy with decompression (low back disorder) is granted. 2. Entitlement to service connection for left lower…

January 30, 2026Citation Nr. 26001400Docket 18-29 610va.gov source

  • low back disorderGranted
  • left lower extremity radiculopathyGranted
  • right lower extremity radiculopathyGranted
DecisionAnalysis

Board reasoning

The Board found a current disability for the back and bilateral radiculopathy and accepted evidence showing an in-service event and a nexus, resolving doubt in the Veteran's favor. It cites post-service medical opinions as probative to support direct service connection for the low back and secondary service connection for the leg radiculopathies because the radiculopathy is a consequence of the back disorder.

Issues

  • low back disorderGranted
  • left lower extremity radiculopathyGranted
  • right lower extremity radiculopathyGranted

Authorities

  • Holton v. Shinseki, 557 F.3d 1362to support requirement of current disability and nexus analysis
  • Shedden v. Principi, 381 F.3d 1163cited for nexus framework in service connection
  • Allen v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 439secondary service connection framework under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310
  • Bailey v. Wilkie, 33 Vet. App. 188discusses effective dates for legacy appeals in light of remand orders

Extracted with gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07. Citations are kept only when they appear in the decision text.