The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for cervical stenosis, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity were denied. The Veteran was also denied an earlier effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, as well as an earlier effective date for Dependents' Education Assistance (DEA) benefits.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support an earlier effective date for the grants of service connection or TDIU and DEA benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical stenosis, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19105226
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,017 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19105226.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of June 22, 2019 for the award of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to multiple service-connected disabilities, including radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities and low back condition. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU due to his inability to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, secondary to a cervical spine disability, is also granted as service connected.,The Veteran's right wrist disability and left knee disabilities are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is remanded for further development.,The Veteran's vitamin D deficiency is remanded for further development.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.