Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, femoral nerve.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the service-connected lumbosacral strain status post spinal fusion L2-S1, but denied other claims.

The appeal for a rating greater than 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine was denied, while the claims for an initial compensable rating for sinusitis and service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy, left upper extremity and right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, trochanteric bursitis and arthritis of the right hip, and trochanteric bursitis and arthritis of the left hip.

The Board denied service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy, denied earlier effective dates for prostate cancer residuals and major depressive disorder, denied increased ratings for CKD, tinnitus, and hearing loss, denied a higher rating for depression, and denied an earlier effective date for prostate cancer residuals. The Board granted TDIU and an earlier effective date for chronic kidney disease.

The Board remands the claims for further development and to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain and right lower extremity disability, both secondary to the Veteran's spine disability, but denied service connection for a recurrent earache disability. The rating was increased from 20% to 40% prior to December 27, 2024.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, effective April 30, 2021.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to evidence of worsening symptoms and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for right lower and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, a rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension. However, the TDIU was granted.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected left knee, lumbar spine, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy disabilities but granted TDIU from September 14, 2020, to November 20, 2022, and from June 21, 2023, to July 30, 2024.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, but granted a temporary 100 percent rating from April 14, 2021, through May 31, 2021, and a minimum 30 percent thereafter for the Veteran's right hip status post arthroplasty.

The Board remanded several claims for service connection and initial ratings, including cervical spine degenerative arthritis with strain, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy middle radicular group as secondary to cervical spine degenerative arthritis with strain, peripheral neuropathy of the left hand, peripheral neuropathy of the right hand, lumbosacral strain, a left knee scar, and a right knee scar. The appeal for TDIU was dismissed as moot.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's motions for revision of the February 24, 2021, Rating Decision based on clear and unmistakable error regarding the effective dates for service connection of radiculopathy in both lower extremities.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for cervical strain with bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve involvement and sciatic nerve involvement.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy associated with lumbar strain with piriformis syndrome.

The Board denied entitlement to higher disability ratings for chronic sinusitis, low back disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy right upper extremity, and thoracolumbar spine scar. The Board also remanded service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran was granted a 100 percent disability rating for somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and major depressive episodes, effective May 6, 2021. The right ankle debridement of arthritis, post traumatic, was denied a higher rating, while service connection was granted for right knee pain but denied for low back pain and radiculopathy in the lower right extremity.