Back Exam

[Durangokid]

Currently 10% for lower lumbar. Going through my VA medical records and found where my VA doctor documented doing a back exam on me in June 2013. The exam results  he documented in my medical record would justify increasing me to the 20% rate. Has it been too long to try and do anything with that exam? Put in for an increase and back date to the June 2013 exam? Thanks.

[sixthscents]

Hang on. The veteran was already finally rated prior to the new exam. So the evidence did not exist during the rating period. At least that is what Durangkid infers when he says "backdate to that exam" and says the exam justifies a 20% increase and not the 10% he got.

So, if the exam was after the final rating. Nope. I mean yeah he can use it as evidence for a new claim for increase perhaps, depending of course upon what it says. Yet this would be a new claim for increase, not reopening the old. So like you said originally it really depends upon the date of rating decision. If it was prior to 2013 then I see no way forward to reopen the original claim and backdate to it.

However, as stated that exam might be sufficent to start a new claim but the effective date of claim would be the date filed. Also, and honestly GBArmy is correct in that the rater will order a new C&P based upon a request for a new claim of increase. So... you are correct OF the original rating decision was after this exam which would justify a 20% rating but not if the date was prior which is what the poster infers.

Sixthscents