The Board denied earlier effective dates for the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and bilateral lower sciatic nerve radiculopathy, as the appropriate effective date is June 14, 2023, the date of his Supplemental Claim.

The deciding factor: The decision was based on the fact that the Veteran did not appeal the initial denial in 2019, and thus the June 2019 rating decision became final. The appropriate effective date is the date of the Supplemental Claim to reopen the matter.

Claimed conditions

degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome (back condition), left lower sciatic nerve radiculopathy, right lower sciatic nerve radiculopathy

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

March 6, 2025

Citation

A25020638

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine