The Board granted an effective date of July 14, 2020, for the grant of service connection for IVDS with spinal fusion and lumbar disc disease with stenosis, as well as associated radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves of the left and right lower extremities, and depressive disorder.

The deciding factor: The Board found good cause for untimely submission of the December 2022 supplemental claim due to the COVID-19 pandemic and granted an effective date based on the July 14, 2020, claim.

Claimed conditions

Intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with spinal fusion and lumbar disc disease with stenosis, Radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve of the left lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve of the right lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the femoral nerve of the left lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the femoral nerve of the right lower extremity, Depressive disorder

How they argued it

Reopened with new and material evidence

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

December 18, 2025

Citation

A25109286

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