The Board granted effective dates of July 16, 2020, for the grants of service connection and DEA benefits, but denied higher ratings for back disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were properly adjudicated based on the evidence available at the time of her claim to readjudicate in July 2020, which established the effective date as July 16, 2020. The Board found that higher ratings for back disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy were not warranted due to the severity of symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of lumbar spine with degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome (back disability), Left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25084659
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