BVA decisions by condition
Spinal stenosis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a spinal stenosis issue in 616 decisions. It granted the spinal stenosis issue in 12.0% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 29.2%, and remanded it in 56.2%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 29.1% were granted.
Decisions
616
2017–2026
Granted
12.0%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
29.1%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
56.2%
Denied: 29.2%
Spinal stenosis outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 129 | 4.7% | 28.7% | 60.5% |
| 2018 | 204 | 9.3% | 28.9% | 56.4% |
| 2019 | 129 | 9.3% | 23.3% | 68.2% |
Evidence in granted and denied spinal stenosis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the spinal stenosis 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 | 71 | 63.3% | 21.0% | +42.3 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 48 | 63.6% | 24.0% | +39.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 159 | 46.8% | 21.5% | +25.3 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 102 | 50.0% | 25.9% | +24.1 pts |
| Lay statement | 496 | 30.5% | 19.4% | +11.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 74.3% of the decisions that granted spinal stenosis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 41.9% of grants and 13.9% 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 spinal stenosis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 398 | 29.4% | 28.4% | +1.1 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 269 | 29.3% | 29.0% | +0.3 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied spinal stenosis
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established9
- Caused by the service-connected disability4
- Continuity of symptomatology since service2
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability2
- Presumption of soundness not rebutted2
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim25
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis22
- No current diagnosis15
- Service records negative or silent13
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service9
- Current diagnosis established8
- Continuity of symptomatology since service4
- Criteria for service connection not met4
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 spinal stenosis decisions
Granted
Service treatment records show treatment for back injury.; Appellant sought care for back pain in July 2005.; Service treatment report noted depression and fight incident.
Private medical record found most probative; No contrary competent medical evidence; Benefit of the doubt resolved in appellant's favor
June 2014 VA exam noted pain on motion at 60 degrees flexion and mild left sciatic radiculopathy.; March 2020 VA exam noted pain significantly limited functional ability, though passive range of motion testing was not fully completed.; Board resolved reasonable doubt in veteran's favor, granting 20% rating based on pain and functional loss.
Denied
Evidence weighed against unfavorable ankylosis of entire thoracolumbar spine; Limited forward flexion and no significant functional loss beyond 40% rating criteria; Benefit-of-the-doubt rule did not apply as evidence weighed against claim
No ankylosis of the spine found.; Functional loss during flare-ups did not meet criteria for higher ratings.; No neurological abnormalities related to the spine.
Difficulty walking is a symptom of other diagnosed conditions (back, bilateral knee, pes planus).; Not a valid disability for VA compensation purposes.; RO concession of difficulty walking interpreted in light of precedential guidance.
Rules that apply to spinal stenosis 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 spinal stenosis 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 spinal stenosis 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.