The Board granted an effective date prior to December 20, 2019, for a 40 percent rating for thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis and a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity sciatica and left lower extremity sciatica. The claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities were denied.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the date entitlement arose, which was prior to December 20, 2019, for thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis and sciatica, but not for the radiculopathy claims.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25049137
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA, but denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 50 percent for right upper extremity radiculopathy and 40 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy.
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