The Veteran's heart murmur has not been found to warrant a higher rating, and the effective date for service connection is set at May 7, 2008.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was established in December 2017 with an initial 10% rating. The effective date remains December 8, 2017.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's heart murmur does not meet the criteria for a higher than 0 percent rating under any applicable diagnostic codes due to lack of evidence of dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope requiring continuous medication.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was established in December 2017 with an initial 10% rating. The effective date remains December 8, 2017.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Murmur, Radiculopathy of Right Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20071145
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 20071145.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with adjustment disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, effective May 23, 2025. Prior to this date, the Veteran's claim was denied due to insufficient evidence of an in-service stressor.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for effective dates prior to March 2, 2021, have been dismissed as the appellant (via his authorized representative) has requested withdrawal of these claims.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial 50% rating for migraine headaches is granted, and an increased 30% rating for right knee limitation of flexion from December 8, 2017 is also granted. Initial ratings of 40% and 20% are assigned for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity respectively.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that there is not substantial compliance with its remand directives and requires further development for the issues of service connection for a heart disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral restless leg syndrome. The VA medical opinions obtained were inadequate to support the decisions on these claims.
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