Diagnosis: Chiari malformation type I. His head MRI noted that he had low-lying cerebellar tonsils, which is a clear indication of this disease.

Goines has cerebellar ataxia, which results in an unsteady gait and slurred speech.

After developing cerebellar ataxia—a nervous-system disorder that interferes with balance, speech, and other motor behavior—he filed a claim with the Labor Department.