The Board denied service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. The appeal for an earlier effective date prior to March 11, 2021, for a left knee strain and bilateral tinnitus was also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record did not support the presence of current disability in the form of radiculopathy or sufficient symptoms that could be attributed to service-connected conditions. The Veteran's claims were properly reviewed according to the applicable laws and regulations, and no CUE was found in the previous rating decisions.
- Claimed conditions
- left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, left knee strain, bilateral tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25024945
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, right wrist strain, and TBI. The Veteran's PTSD rating was remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including the failure to obtain relevant treatment records and provide adequate VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA, but denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
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