Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claims for additional development, including obtaining outstanding treatment records.

The Board granted ratings for several knee and back conditions, including a 10 percent rating for left knee instability from June 12, 2006, to May 31, 2023, and a 20 percent rating for right sciatic radiculopathy and left sciatic radiculopathy starting January 28, 2025.

The Veteran's depressive disorder alone rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and she is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, cervical spine disability, and sciatic nerve conditions of both lower extremities as there was no evidence to support that these disabilities were related to his military service.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome, status post lumbar surgery, and associated radiculopathies of the lower extremities, as well as painful scars due to lower back surgery, effective July 17, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and remanded other claims for further development.

The appeal for a higher rating for left lower extremity (LLE) sciatic radiculopathy was dismissed because the Board had already decided the issue under the most favorable conditions for the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back, neck, and right shoulder disabilities, as well as bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, to obtain a new medical opinion and additional evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for a back disability and radiculopathy of both lower extremities, as the evidence did not support an earlier date than February 20, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of a left knee injury, sinusitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and granted higher ratings of 40 percent each for thoracolumbar spine disability, radiculopathy in the left lower extremity, and headaches.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea but denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and increased evaluations for upper extremity radiculopathy and right shoulder sprain.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to a duty to assist error, as the Veteran was not properly notified of his scheduled examinations.

The Board granted a rating of 70 percent for adjustment disorder with anxiety, depression, cannabis use disorder, and alcohol use disorder and a rating of 40 percent for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity secondary to cervicalgia with degenerative arthritis and IVDS.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, both found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and remanded claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus, a low back disability, generalized anxiety disorder, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted effective dates of February 5, 2022, for the grants of a 40 percent rating for status/post lumbar spine fusion surgery and a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for major depression disorder and PTSD, but denied earlier effective dates for the back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Board granted a 50 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder with anxiety from August 31, 2019, and denied an effective date prior to August 31, 2020, for the grant of service connection and separate ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) but remanded the service connection claims for restless leg sleep disorders.