The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions prior to August 25, 2020.
The deciding factor: The May 2011 VA examination report showed some neurological abnormalities but the majority of results were normal. The Veteran's records from May 2012 and March 2015 also indicated no radiculopathy symptoms. Therefore, there was not enough evidence to support an earlier effective date.
- Claimed conditions
- right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25056373
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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as special monthly compensation and total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied restoration of the 20 percent ratings for cervical spine strain, thoracolumbar strain, and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to improvement in the disabilities under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates for entitlement to service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with tendinitis, lumbar spondylolisthesis and spondylosis, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, and allergic rhinitis.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.