Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and migraine headaches, finding that both conditions started in service and have continued since then.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of March 24, 2022, for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity circumflex and lower nerve group.

The Board granted effective dates of June 13, 2012 for the assignment of a 40 percent rating for back disability and a 20 percent rating for neck disability, as well as service connection for right knee instability and left knee instability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to a cervical condition, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to the current disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine, right ankle, left ankle, right knee, and right lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher disability rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy, left ankle scars, and residuals of a left ankle fracture status post-surgical repair.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these issues.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to her service-connected disabilities.

The appeal for an effective date prior to October 23, 2017, for the award of service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and TBI residuals; tinnitus, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraines and other conditions, preclude her from being able to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for right ankle, right ankle scar, low back, femoral nerve, and sciatic nerve disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 10, 2021 for further development.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring updated VA treatment records.

The Board granted service connection for the right ankle condition and denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and increased rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for headaches and service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, but granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine.

The Board remands the claims for new VA examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome and bilateral sciatic nerve radiculopathy, as the March 2024 VA examinations were found to be inadequate.

The Board denied increased ratings for TMJ dysfunction with arthritis, cervical strain (neck disability), lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome with arthritis, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, tension headaches, and left thigh impairment. However, a 20 percent rating was granted for left lower radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis, and denied ratings in excess of 20 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy. However, the Board granted a 10 percent rating for trigeminal neuralgia and remanded claims for service connection for GERD and increased ratings for cervical spine and left knee disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a low back condition, to include any related radiculopathy, due to missing service treatment records and inadequate examination reports.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, while denying increased ratings for IVDS with lumbosacral strain and remanding an issue related to total disability based on individual unemployability.