Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's low back disability and sciatic radiculopathies, granted service connection for insomnia as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, but denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board grants service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an in-service car accident.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the back disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for the back disability from June 8, 2023, and granted TDIU prior to November 30, 2012.

The Board granted an effective date of January 29, 2019, for the award of service connection for scar of the left lower quadrant of abdomen and a 70 percent rating for PTSD since August 28, 2019. The claims for increased ratings were denied.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a respiratory condition, claimed as lung nodules, and cervical radiculopathy, and denied service connection for fatty liver disease.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a total disability rating from August 22, 2019, and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from September 30, 2019. The Veteran is also granted individual unemployability based on service-connected disabilities from December 1, 2013.

The Board granted service connection for fibromyalgia and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, while remanding claims for tinnitus and an increased rating for chronic back pain with degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, thus granting special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of a TDIU was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for various conditions, including chronic thoracolumbar strain, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, traumatic brain injury with vertigo, and others.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and TBI, manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas; however, there was no showing of total occupational and social impairment.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the cervical spine disability, but denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, a respiratory disability, and chronic kidney disease. The effective date for the award of service connection for the cervical strain was also denied.

The Board denied the claims for a higher rating and TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support symptoms greater than moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for right shoulder nerve damage as the veteran's Notice of Disagreement was not timely filed. The claims for a neck condition and cervical radiculopathy were remanded for further development.

The claims for service connection for headaches, cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity (LUE), right squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal cord, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left and right sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia, chronic headaches, and pseudofolliculitis barbae due to the lack of evidence supporting an in-service injury or disease.

The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities as secondary to a service-connected lumbar strain, but denied higher ratings for lumbar strain, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and anxiety disorder, NOS.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for spinous fracture C-7, temporomandibular disorder, acid reflux, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and separate evaluations for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as there was no evidence or argument suggesting that these conditions were diagnosed prior to May 1, 2015.

The Board granted a 70 percent evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected mild neurocognitive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, somatic symptoms disorder with predominant pain, and TBI but remanded other issues.