BVA decisions by condition
Lumbosacral or cervical strain: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a lumbosacral or cervical strain issue in 2,522 decisions. It granted the lumbosacral or cervical strain issue in 24.0% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 34.3%, and remanded it in 41.3%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 41.1% were granted.
Decisions
2,522
2017–2026
Granted
24.0%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
41.1%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
41.3%
Denied: 34.3%
Lumbosacral or cervical strain outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 220 | 14.5% | 39.1% | 45.5% |
| 2020 | 382 | 20.4% | 31.7% | 47.9% |
| 2021 | 330 | 20.3% | 39.4% | 40.6% |
| 2022 | 260 | 26.2% | 30.4% | 44.6% |
| 2023 | 292 | 25.3% | 31.2% | 43.2% |
| 2024 | 366 | 26.8% | 34.2% | 38.5% |
| 2025 | 434 | 28.1% | 31.1% | 39.6% |
| 2026 | 172 | 33.1% | 35.5% | 30.2% |
Evidence in granted and denied lumbosacral or cervical strain decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the lumbosacral or cervical strain issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 375 | 73.0% | 32.7% | +40.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 324 | 63.6% | 36.3% | +27.3 pts |
| Combat service | 121 | 60.9% | 39.9% | +21.0 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 119 | 61.0% | 40.3% | +20.7 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 117 | 60.0% | 40.1% | +19.9 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 644 | 52.1% | 36.2% | +15.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,051 | 41.0% | 41.9% | −0.9 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 70.9% of the decisions that granted lumbosacral or cervical strain.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 45.6% of grants and 14.0% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often lumbosacral or cervical strain was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 1,143 | 47.0% | 35.1% | +11.9 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,959 | 39.3% | 51.3% | −12.1 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied lumbosacral or cervical strain
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established91
- Evidence evenly balanced11
- Criteria for service connection met11
- Continuity of symptomatology since service9
- Caused by the service-connected disability7
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim5
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service4
- Veteran's testimony found competent and credible4
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim89
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service58
- Service records negative or silent38
- Current diagnosis established36
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis35
- No current diagnosis31
- Already at the maximum schedular rating9
- No continuity of symptomatology8
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent lumbosacral or cervical strain decisions
Granted
Current diagnosis of left shoulder strain; Veteran testified to in-service injury; Probirive VA examiner opinion
Current diagnosis of thoracic strain confirmed by VA exam.; In-service event noted by complaints of thoracic pain in STRs.; Nexus supported by credible lay testimony and STRs.
Reduction in rating improper; November 2024 VA exam inadequate; Restoration of prior 10 percent rating warranted
Denied
No in-service diagnosis or treatment for right ankle condition; VA examiner opined condition not related to service; Veteran's lay statements not competent to support etiology
No unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine found.; No evidence of incapacitating episodes under IVDS Rating Formula.; Private chiropractor concurred with current 40% rating.
Lack of nexus to service; Negative VA opinions; Inconsistent lay statements
Rules that apply to lumbosacral or cervical strain claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your lumbosacral or cervical strain case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a lumbosacral or cervical strain issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.