The Board denied earlier effective dates for the 30 percent and 10 percent disability evaluations for left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve, as well as an earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show a worsening within one year prior to the claims, and the earliest entitlement dates were later than the claim dates.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease, radiculopathy, right lower extremity (femoral nerve)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25045322
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,893 · 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 A25045322.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy in both lower extremities and an initial 20 percent rating for left ankle degenerative arthritis, while denying a compensable rating for right hallux valgus.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for radiculopathy in the right and left lower extremities, a compensable rating for a scar from left knee surgery, and earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions. However, it granted a 30 percent rating for left femoral nerve radiculopathy starting June 16, 2021, and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) from November 7, 2018.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome, status post lumbar surgery, and associated radiculopathies of the lower extremities, as well as painful scars due to lower back surgery, effective July 17, 2018.
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