The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates were denied as the earliest date of factually ascertainable disability was March 18, 2018, for RLE radiculopathy and March 22, 2015, for left hip strain.,An increased rating for lumbar strain remains pending with a remand for further examination.
The deciding factor: The earliest effective dates were determined based on the first documented manifestations of the conditions in question. The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates were denied as these dates were later than the earliest factually ascertainable disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar Strain, RLE Radiculopathy (femoral nerve), RLE Radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), Left Hip Strain, Limitation of Flexion, Left Hip Strain, Limitation of Extension, Left Hip Strain, Limitation of Abduction and Rotation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2022
- Citation
- 22029934
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 22029934.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus are all granted service connection.,Service connection for GERD is also granted as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU from October 12, 2016 to November 12, 2018 and from January 1, 2019 to July 22, 2019 due to service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was caused by heart failure, which the Board finds may be service-connected through secondary service connection due to obesity resulting from his service-connected PTSD and back disability. However, VA failed to obtain a medical opinion addressing whether obesity is a substantial factor in causing heart failure.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, lumbar strain, and right shoulder strain have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 17, 2018. TDIU is granted effective from that date.
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