The Veteran's claims for service connection for sciatica of the left lower extremity and residual lumbar scar associated with intervertebral disc syndrome were denied as there was no communication prior to July 31, 2012 that could be reasonably construed as a claim of entitlement to benefits.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of an informal or formal claim for service connection prior to July 31, 2012.
- Claimed conditions
- sciatica of the left lower extremity, residual lumbar scar associated with intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis and lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 10, 2020
- Citation
- 20072464
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,455 · Granted: 23% (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 20072464.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine condition, sciatica of the bilateral lower extremities, and bilateral hips due to outstanding VA records. The Veteran's treatment records from Fayetteville VAMC need to be re-associated with the claims file.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him substantially confined to his dwelling and immediate premises prior to his death, granting entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status for accrued purposes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a teeth disability, sciatica of the right lower extremity, and sciatica of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for a back condition is granted. The claims for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve are denied.
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.