The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of radiculopathy, femoral nerve and sciatic nerve in the left lower extremity due to lack of evidence showing entitlement prior to February 14, 2017.
The deciding factor: The earliest diagnosis of left lower extremity radiculopathy was made at a VA examination on February 14, 2017. The Board acknowledged earlier records noting chronic back pain and episodes of referred pain but did not provide an earlier date for which the Veteran met the requirements for the benefits sought.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy, femoral nerve, left lower extremity, radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2026
- Citation
- A26008357
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26008357.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional evidence and scheduling VA examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased initial ratings for radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, right and left lower extremities prior to April 22, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in the need for aid and attendance as he required care or assistance on a regular basis to feed himself, keep himself clean and presentable, and protect him from hazards or dangers inherent in his daily environment. The Board granted special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues related to PTSD, chronic sinusitis, intervertebral disc syndrome and lumbar sacral degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerves in both lower extremities, and GERD. The appeal is dismissed as a result.
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