Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and entitlement to TDIU due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the September 2021 examinations.

The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity as secondary to a service-connected back disability, but denied service connection for left and right hip disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for hyposmia prior to August 10, 2022, and restored a disability rating of 60 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy from April 1, 2024. The Board also granted increased ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, but remanded higher ratings for knee disabilities and TDIU.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete medical evidence.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine condition, right and left sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia, and right and left hand conditions. The issues of initial disability ratings were remanded.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, granted an earlier effective date for a 10 percent rating of bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis, and remanded several claims including service connections for various disorders.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining additional evidence and medical opinions to address deficiencies in the prior medical opinions on the severity of the appellant's radiculopathy.

The Board granted an increased disability evaluation of 40 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but denied the claims for a higher rating for left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy and a compensable rating for residuals of a traumatic crush injury of the ring finger.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from February 11, 2019. He also received increased ratings for his radiculopathy in the right and left lower extremities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, type II (DM), hypertension, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, skin condition, left knee disability, right knee disability, sciatic nerve disability, sleep apnea, and back disability, as there is pre-decisional error in the case and a VA examination(s) and addendum opinions are required to cure the error.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions as they were premature, and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and a migraine headache disability.

The Board granted an effective date of January 17, 2017, for the grant of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including IBS, somatic symptom disorder, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and various radiculopathies and strains, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board granted service connection for multiple shoulder, knee, and hip disabilities as well as increased ratings for cervical spine DDD, upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbosacral strain, and tension headaches.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for hypertension and granted a 40 percent initial rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of radiculopathy in both lower extremities to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board remands the service connection claims for a cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy to obtain additional medical opinions.