The Board granted an earlier effective date of April 6, 2014, for the award of a separate, increased 20 percent disability rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's LUE cervical radiculopathy disability increased in the one-year period prior to the filing of his April 6, 2015 VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Compensation, and reasonable doubt was resolved in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Left upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 9, 2025
- Citation
- A25042209
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 899 · Granted: 45% (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 A25042209.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability with left upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic condition. The Board concluded that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran requires assistance with eating, dressing, hygiene needs, medication management, housekeeping, meal preparation, and laundry.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates on all issues related to his service-connected conditions.
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