The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 31, 2018, for the award of service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied. The earliest possible effective date is October 31, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the application to reopen the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was not submitted in February 2018 as claimed by the Veteran and her representative, and thus did not meet the requirements for an earlier effective date.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2023
- Citation
- A23035997
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 A23035997.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has granted a higher rating to 40 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine disability to schedule a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and, if so, whether he has required bed rest prescribed by a physician during any 12-month period.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability was granted a 40 percent evaluation from April 15, 2015, to April 7, 2016, and from June 1, 2016, to the present. The RO also increased his evaluations for radiculopathy affecting the left sciatic nerve, right sciatic nerve, left femoral nerve, and right femoral nerve.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine was granted, with an effective date of November 2, 2007. The Veteran also received separate ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with his lumbar spine condition. His benign prostatic hypertrophy with urgency and frequency is rated at a 10 percent disability rating since August 6, 2020.
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.