The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of lumbar disc disease, finding that the earliest possible effective date is October 19, 1998.
The deciding factor: The RO received the veteran's claim on September 30, 1999, which was after July 12, 1996, when his previous claim for service connection was denied. The Board found that no earlier communication served as an informal claim and that the earliest possible effective date is October 19, 1998.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2008
- Citation
- 0803440
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0803440.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for depressive disorder associated with lumbar disc disease was granted on March 24, 2021. The Board found that the effective date should be set to this date as there is no legal link between the previous claim and the new claim.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for left knee strain, lumbar disc disease, and cervical spine disability based on evidence supporting an in-service onset of symptoms that have continued to the present.
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