The Board granted effective dates of June 13, 2012 for the assignment of a 40 percent rating for back disability and a 20 percent rating for neck disability, as well as service connection for right knee instability and left knee instability.
The deciding factor: The evidence in the record reflects that the Veteran's back and neck disabilities were manifested by a limitation of range of flexion consistent with 40 percent and 20 percent ratings, respectively, on June 13, 2012. The earliest date that the evidence supports an assignment of these ratings is therefore June 13, 2012.
- Claimed conditions
- Back disability, Neck disability, Right knee instability, Left knee instability, Right ankle disability, Right upper extremity radiculopathy, Left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), Left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25031084
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but remanded the back disability claim for further development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.
- Granted
The Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
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