Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the earliest date available was June 16, 2014, when the Veteran first filed a claim to reopen his service connection for low back disability.,For the period prior to June 28, 2019, the Veteran's low back disability was rated at 10 percent. From June 28, 2019 to March 12, 2020, it was rated at 40 percent.

The deciding factor: The Board determined that the earliest effective date available for the grants of service connection was June 16, 2014, when the Veteran first filed a claim to reopen his low back disability. The ratings were found appropriate based on the medical evidence provided.

Claimed conditions
Low back disability, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
December 18, 2023
Citation
A23036374

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 A23036374.

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.