The Board granted earlier effective dates for the ratings assigned for a lumbar spine disability and left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability. Service connection was also granted for fecal incontinence.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine has been limited to 30 degrees or less throughout the appeal period, supporting a finding of an earlier effective date for the 40 percent rating. The evidence did not support a higher rating based on unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, degenerative scoliosis, foraminal/lateral recess/central stenosis, and intervertebral disc syndrome (lumbar spine disability), left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, fecal incontinence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 2, 2025
- Citation
- 25007396
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,863 · Granted: 26% (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 25007396.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied the claims for right knee disability, erectile dysfunction, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The decision is remanded for further action on these issues.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for middle and index trigger finger/stenosing tenosynovitis of the right hand, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The earliest effective date is June 30, 2012, for the right hand condition and April 22, 2016, for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.
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