The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for an effective date of May 17, 2013, for separate disability ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathies. The Board also granted a disability rating of 40 percent for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease from May 17, 2013, to the present.
The deciding factor: The evidence was in at least approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's lumbar spine DDD manifested as symptoms of right and left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to his claim for service connection on May 17, 2013. The Board also found that the weight of the available probative evidence is in at least approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease has manifested as limitation of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less throughout the period on appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 24, 2024
- Citation
- A24068797
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (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 A24068797.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there are insufficient medical opinions and records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right ankle disorder.,The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection for gastroenteritis, lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left ankle lateral collateral ligament strain, right knee strain and hemorrhoids. The earliest effective date is December 5, 2018.,The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection of a lumbosacral strain. The earliest effective date is December 5, 2018.,The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection of left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve. The earliest effective date is December 5, 2018.,The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection of right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve. The earliest effective date is December 5, 2018.,The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection of a left ankle lateral collateral ligament strain. The earliest effective date is December 5, 2018.,The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection of right knee strain. The earliest effective date is December 5, 2018.,The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his service connection of hemorrhoids. The earliest effective date is December 5, 2018.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was denied, and his claims for right knee, left knee, right hand, left hand, GERD, neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss were also denied. The effective date of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted on December 14, 2022.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection of left knee condition, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left hip osteoarthritis, and right hip osteoarthritis is dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction over the August 2021 rating decision. Service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left hip osteoarthritis, and right hip osteoarthritis are granted.
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