The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability was granted with an effective date of December 31, 2014. The Veteran also received a grant for left lower extremity radiculopathy and insomnia. However, the reduction in rating from 20% to 10% for his lumbar spine disability is being remanded.
The deciding factor: The effective date of service connection was based on when the increased rating claim was filed, not when the condition first manifested or when the Veteran initially sought treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- Left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19115484
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,963 · Granted: 32% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19115484.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both femoral and sciatic nerves, tension headaches, residual scarring, and PTSD.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, as the evidence showed moderate incomplete paralysis.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and basic eligibility of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits as of April 12, 2016.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection and remanded initial rating claims, except for an effective date of April 25, 1999, for left knee disability.
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.