Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis status post total right knee replacement and a TDIU effective March 9, 2021. Other claims were denied or remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both upper extremities, as well as remanding two new claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a spinal disability and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy and remanded the claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis with IVDS and spinal stenosis.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include generalized anxiety disorder and unspecified depressive disorder, but denied service connection for a sciatica/lumbar condition.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, cervical degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathies of the upper and lower extremities. A 30 percent rating was also granted for vertigo associated with TBI.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and increased the initial disability rating to 30 percent.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and remanded the claims for congestive heart failure with coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy, lumbar spine degenerative joint/disc disease, right lower extremity sciatic nerve condition, and left lower extremity sciatic nerve condition.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lung disorder, radiculopathy at L4-5, and a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to obtain all relevant treatment records.

The Board granted service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis, left knee strain, lumbosacral strain with IVDS, and bilateral radiculopathy of the lower extremities as secondary to a service-connected right foot disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder and alcohol use disorder, but denied service connection for low back pain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and sleep apnea.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the right knee disability and a separate 20 percent rating for instability, while denying an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied an increased rating for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and PTSD while granting a higher initial disability rating for radiculopathy in the right upper extremity.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability, and also granted service connection for left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy associated with his lumbar spine disability, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantial, gainful employment, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted.

The Board granted service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, finding a medical nexus with the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of November 16, 2020, for the awards of service connection for cervical strain and left upper extremity radiculopathy, but denied earlier effective dates for other lower extremity conditions.

The Board denied higher initial ratings for the Veteran's radiculopathy of the femoral and sciatic nerves of the bilateral lower extremities, but granted separate 10 percent ratings for severe paralysis of the external cutaneous nerve of thigh on November 19, 2024.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional development of evidence.