The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of a back condition and bilateral radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, as the earliest entitlement arose on March 20, 2023.

The deciding factor: The gap between the March 2018 rating decision denying service connection and the filing of the March 2023 VA Form 20-0995 was too long for continuous pursuit of the claim, establishing March 20, 2023 as the earliest effective date.

Claimed conditions

lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome, and osteoarthritis with spondylosis (back condition), radiculopathy, left lower extremity, sciatic nerve, radiculopathy, right lower extremity, sciatic nerve

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

January 30, 2025

Citation

A25008572

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