Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of a lumbar disability and increased ratings for his lumbar disability, finding that January 25, 2014 was the earliest date of claim and thus the appropriate effective date. The rating assigned remains null as no specific rating has been determined.

The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's October 15, 2007 claim for service connection of a lumbar disability was denied in May 2008, which became final after the Veteran did not file a timely notice of disagreement. The January 25, 2014 submission of a VA 21-526EZ, Fully Developed Claim is considered the date of claim for reopening the previously denied claim.

Claimed conditions
lumbar disability
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
May 4, 2023
Citation
23025894

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 23025894.

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.

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.