Lumbosacral Radiculopathy
Heavy load carriage, rucksack carriage, and spinal trauma producing cervical and lumbar radiculopathy in service members.
Peer-reviewed evidence (5)
The verified studies behind a Lumbosacral Radiculopathy claim — each links to its real PubMed or DOI record. These are sources our nexus drafts can draw from; none are invented.
- Anderson AB, Braswell MJ, Pisano AJ, Watson NI, Dickens JF, Helgeson MD, Brooks DI, Wagner SC. Factors Associated With Progression to Surgical Intervention for Lumbar Disc Herniation in the Military Health System. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2021;46(6):E392-E397. PMID:33181775. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000003815.
- Ikeda DS, Meister M, Porensky P, Yokoi H, Ravindra VM. Lumbar Fusion for Active Duty Service Members Performed at an Overseas Military Treatment Facility: A 2-Year Retrospective Analysis. Mil Med. 2023;188(7-8):e1763-e1769. PMID:35788861. doi:10.1093/milmed/usac193.
- Lawlor MC, Cirillo MN, Holly KE, Bovonratwet P, Striano BM, Coles C, Koehlmoos TP, Schoenfeld AJ. Is Civilian Hospital Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Disorders Associated With Greater Odds of Fusion Procedures?. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2025;483(10):1939-1947. PMID:40153716. doi:10.1097/CORR.0000000000003487.
- Selkirk SM, Ruff R. Low back pain, radiculopathy. Handb Clin Neurol. 2016;136:1027-33. PMID:27430456. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-53486-6.00053-3.
- Cohen SP, Greuber E, Vought K, Lissin D. Safety of Epidural Steroid Injections for Lumbosacral Radicular Pain: Unmet Medical Need. Clin J Pain. 2021;37(9):707-717. PMID:34265792. doi:10.1097/AJP.0000000000000963.
Controlling law
The CFR sections and cases the theories relevant to this condition rest on — the legal standard raters evaluate against, never a prediction about any claim.
Direct (§ 3.303)
Regulation
38 C.F.R. § 3.303
Direct service connection — a current disability linked to service. (Continuity of symptomatology under § 3.303(b) is limited by case law to the § 3.309(a) chronic diseases — Walker.)
Case law
Shedden v. Principi, 381 F.3d 1163 (Fed. Cir. 2004)
The three-element test: current disability, in-service event, and a nexus between them.
Holton v. Shinseki, 557 F.3d 1363 (Fed. Cir. 2009)
Federal Circuit restatement of the same three direct-service-connection elements.
Caluza v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 498 (1995)
The evidentiary framework a rater weighs each element against.
Walker v. Shinseki, 708 F.3d 1331 (Fed. Cir. 2013)
Continuity of symptomatology (§ 3.303(b)) is available ONLY for a chronic disease listed in § 3.309(a); any other condition must use the medical-nexus pathway.
Davidson v. Shinseki, 581 F.3d 1313 (Fed. Cir. 2009)
A categorical 'a medical opinion is always required for nexus' is legal error — competent lay evidence can suffice.
Jandreau v. Nicholson, 492 F.3d 1372 (Fed. Cir. 2007); Layno v. Brown, 6 Vet. App. 465 (1994)
A veteran is competent to report symptoms they personally observe (Layno), and lay evidence can even establish a simple diagnosis in the right case (Jandreau).
McLendon v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 79 (2006)
A LOW threshold — evidence that merely indicates a nexus MAY exist obligates VA to provide a C&P exam.
38 U.S.C. § 5107(b); Gilbert v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 49 (1990)
When the evidence is in relative equipoise, the tie goes to the veteran — the preponderance must be AGAINST the claim to deny it.
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