The Board denied compensation benefits for herniated disc and radiculopathy with foot drop, left lower extremity, as the Veteran's conditions were not caused by VA treatment or care.
The deciding factor: VA treatment did not cause the Veteran’s claimed disabilities; instead, they resulted from his pre-existing condition and lack of timely diagnosis/treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- Herniated disc, Radiculopathy with foot drop, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19151057
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,030 · Granted: 17% (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 19151057.
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).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, herniated disc, IVDS and spinal stenosis is rated at 40 percent since August 19, 2020. The appeal period did not show unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's disability ratings for low back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been reduced from 40% and 10%, respectively, to 20% and 0%. The reduction was based on improvements shown in recent VA examinations.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected back conditions, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The effective date for the award of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy is also being remanded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, including DDD, arthritis, and a herniated disc, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The decision resolves doubt in favor of the Veteran.
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