The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for his service-connected conditions, finding no evidence that supported a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 9, 2016, or 20 percent from that date.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the criteria for ratings of 20 percent or higher were met from as early as July 16, 1999, and there was no pending claim for an increased rating for the service-connected right and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy at the time of receipt of the April 14, 2016, claim.
- Claimed conditions
- right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, right knee chondromalacia with patellofemoral pain, left knee chondromalacia with patellofemoral pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2025
- Citation
- A25050516
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.
- Partly granted
The Board reinstated the 50 percent disability rating for squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp with surgical scars, effective February 19, 2024. Service connection was also restored for lumbosacral strain and various radiculopathies.
- Granted
The Board granted initial 40 percent ratings for left and right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, but no higher.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates of November 21, 2019, for the grants of service connection for spinal stenosis associated with intervertebral disc syndrome, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left knee tendinitis. The claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, lumbar strain disability, and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities due to an inadequate VA examination.
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