The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that no claim was received prior to July 15, 2021 and thus the proper effective date is July 15, 2021.,The Veteran also sought an earlier effective date for his left lower extremity radiculopathy, which was similarly denied.
The deciding factor: No claim for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy was received prior to the assigned effective date of July 15, 2021.
- Claimed conditions
- Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 11, 2026
- Citation
- A26021887
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26021887.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is currently rated at 70% effective from February 11, 2010.,Entitlement to an earlier effective date for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, which is granted based on the evidence provided.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and whether proposed reductions in ratings for service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremities were proper. The appeals are dismissed.
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