Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for further evidentiary development and to ensure procedural due process.

The Board granted service connection for migraines, fatigue disability, and memory disability on a direct basis, and assigned ratings of 60 percent for right and left lower extremity sciatica from September 13, 2021.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and uterine fibroids.

The appeal of the January 2024 proposal to reduce the disability rating from 30 percent disabling to 10 percent for coronary artery disease is dismissed. The Board also denied service connection for various conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome and posttraumatic stress disorder with traumatic brain injury residuals.

The Board granted an effective date of August 25, 2021, for the award of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis to include Intervertebral disc syndrome (IDVS), radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hip sciatic neuritis, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board granted a rating of 40 percent for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, finding that the evidence more nearly approximates moderately severe incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerves.

The Board dismissed the appeal for higher disability evaluations for multiple conditions due to a prohibited concurrent election under the modernized review system.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to a back disability due to missing records and an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings for various conditions, denied higher ratings, and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board granted service connection for anxiety disorder, acne, heart palpitations/mitral valve prolapse, irritable bowel syndrome and esophagitis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy, effective April 1, 2017. It denied an earlier effective date for migraines, pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and hallux valgus.

The Board denied service connection for pneumonia and pneumonia residuals, while remanding the claims for service connection for migraine headaches, cervical strain (claimed as degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine), radiculopathy in both upper extremities.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disorder, bilateral lumbar radiculopathy, and bilateral shin splints.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from December 13, 2021, through March 1, 2023.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, and higher ratings for various disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent due to total occupational and social impairment, and he is entitled to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating for right and left upper extremity radiculopathy prior to September 23, 2002 due to an incomplete medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for earlier effective dates of 40 percent ratings for back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy to correct a duty to assist error related to missing VA treatment records.

The Board granted an effective date of July 24, 2018 for the grant of service connection for sciatic lumbar radiculopathy in both the left and right lower extremities.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve of the left lower extremity and denied increased ratings for the left knee disability, as well as service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy.