The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was denied a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to July 19, 2017.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) was denied a compensable rating prior to July 19, 2017.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) were all denied earlier effective dates prior to July 19, 2017.,The Veteran's TDIU was denied an earlier effective date than July 19, 2017.,Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits began no earlier than July 19, 2017.,Entitlement to automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment or for adaptive equipment only was denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to July 19, 2017 due to the severity of his symptoms.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) was denied a compensable rating prior to July 19, 2017 as there were no associated neurological abnormalities.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) did not meet the criteria for earlier effective dates prior to July 19, 2017.,The Veteran's TDIU was denied an earlier effective date than July 19, 2017 as he did not have a service-connected disability that rendered him unemployable prior to July 19, 2017.,Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits began no earlier than July 19, 2017 due to the Veteran's disabilities.,Entitlement to automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment or for adaptive equipment only was denied.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative joint disease with low back strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- A19002955
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A19002955.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) effective from August 14, 2013, but denied higher initial ratings for the sciatic nerve.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for dermatochalasis, meibomian gland dysfunction, and blepharitis. The claims for lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right shoulder tendinopathy, diabetes, and prostate cancer with urinary incontinence status-post prostatectomy were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an increased initial rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), finding that his symptoms were no worse than mild incomplete paralysis.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for initial compensable ratings and TDIU, but readjudicated a previously denied service connection claim for ischemic heart disease.
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