The Board granted service connection for heat stroke and increased the disability rating to 20 percent for both lower extremity radiculopathies, while denying a higher rating for cervical strain. The claims for higher ratings for knee disabilities were remanded.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion supported the conclusion that the Veteran's heat stroke was incurred in and related to his active service, leading to the grant of service connection. For the lower extremity radiculopathies, the evidence showed moderate incomplete paralysis, warranting a 20 percent rating. The cervical strain did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- heat stroke, left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, cervical strain, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (left knee disability), right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25034955
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 734 · Granted: 31% (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 A25034955.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were granted effective from July 1, 2020.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to a procedural defect in filing the claims on the correct form.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and cervical strain due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ failed to obtain VA medical opinions addressing the etiology of these disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of chronic neck pain and cervical strain, finding that the Veteran did not file a claim for these conditions until June 28, 2013.
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