The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for various conditions and DEA benefits, as no formal or informal claim was filed prior to January 18, 2023.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran had filed a formal or informal claim for any of the conditions on appeal prior to January 18, 2023, and thus an earlier effective date is not warranted under applicable regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Radiculopathy, left upper extremity, Intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of the cervical spine, Radiculopathy, right upper extremity, Left ankle tendinopathy, Left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, Right hip trochanteric pain syndrome with limitation of adduction of the thigh, Right ankle tendinopathy, Left hip trochanteric pain syndrome, Right hip trochanteric pain syndrome with limitation of flexion of the thigh, Left hip trochanteric pain syndrome with limitation of internal rotation, Right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with other knee impairment
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25035366
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 earlier effective dates of November 5, 2021, for the grants of service connection and eligibility for DEA benefits.
- Partly granted
The Board denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome but granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability. The claim for service connection for a back disorder was remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied higher disability ratings for the veteran's low back and lower extremity radiculopathies, pseudofolliculitis barbae, pes planus and plantar fasciitis, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection and initial rating claims has been withdrawn by the Veteran.
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