The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied due to lack of evidence showing the disabilities manifested within a year prior to the June 20, 2012 claim.,All VA medical records dated prior to June 20, 2012 and since March 2017 should be added to the claims file.
The deciding factor: The effective dates for increased ratings were not granted as there was no evidence showing that the disabilities manifested within a year prior to the claim.,Additional VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine, RUE/LUE cervical radiculopathy, and LLE/RLE lumbar radiculopathy.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of thoracolumbar spine, Cervical radiculopathy of right upper extremity (RUE), Cervical radiculopathy of left upper extremity (LUE), Lumbar radiculopathy of right lower extremity (RLE), Lumbar radiculopathy of left lower extremity (LLE), Right foot cold injury residuals, Left foot cold injury residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19126763
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew all his pending Board appeals and is satisfied with his 100 percent combined rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left knee disability have been granted. The specific diagnoses include degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and left knee disability, respectively.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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