The Board denied an effective date prior to September 25, 2018, for the award of a separate rating for RUE radiculopathy and remanded claims for initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for RUE radiculopathy and a separate rating for LUE radiculopathy associated with degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.
The deciding factor: The Board found that it is not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease resulted in an associated objective neurologic abnormality of RUE radiculopathy prior to September 25, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- Radiculopathy, Right Upper Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- 25007858
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and status post left shoulder surgeries, but denied service connection for lumbosacral strain, sciatic pain in the right leg, sciatic pain in the left leg, right big toe pain, and a right upper extremity disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter of entitlement to specially adapted housing for a VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, spinal fusion, and spondylolisthesis and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed as a timely substantive appeal to the October 2017 rating decision was not received.
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