The Board granted an earlier effective date of August 11, 2011, for the award of a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied an earlier effective date for a 40 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms more nearly approximated a 20 percent rating for the entire period on appeal, from August 11, 2011, and the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to June 15, 2022.

Claimed conditions

Degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, status post back surgery, Left lower extremity radiculopathy

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

20%

Decision date

October 28, 2025

Citation

A25093313

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine