Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded claims for PTSD, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, memory loss, colon polyps, neck pain, lower back pain, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for right sciatica, a lumbar spine condition, a right foot condition, a right knee condition, and tinnitus.

The Board remands the appeal for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar strain.

The Board remanded several claims for further development, including service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and headaches secondary to allergic rhinitis, as well as increased ratings for low back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, allergic rhinitis, penile scars, and tinea cruris in the groin.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder was granted a 100 percent rating, while the low back condition and associated radiculopathy were denied increased ratings. SMC at the housebound rate was also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating higher than 10 percent for left lower extremity disability affecting the sciatic nerve, as the evidence did not show moderate incomplete paralysis of the left lower extremity.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shin splints, TMJ condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or onset during active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and denied increased ratings for sciatic radiculopathy, while remanding claims for service connection for bilateral flatfeet.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the Veteran's back disability, granted an effective date of September 30, 2016 for a 40 percent rating, and remanded claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's sciatic nerve impairments and remanded the claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his low back condition with IVDS.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee anterior tibialis syndrome with knee strain and remanded claims for increased ratings for external popliteal nerve (common peroneal) paralysis, anterior tibial nerve paralysis, and service connection for sciatic nerve paralysis.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of August 9, 2018, for a grant of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy with a 20 percent disability rating. The Board also granted increased ratings of 70 percent and 20 percent from March 17, 2017 to June 2, 2021, and from March 17, 2017, respectively, for the service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder and anxious features, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for various neuropathies and radiculopathies in both upper and lower extremities due to additional evidence added to the claims file.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating greater than 20 percent or 40 percent, as appropriate, for service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, right and left lower extremity femoral and sciatic radiculopathy, and right and left upper extremity neuropathy/radiculopathy prior to specified dates. The claims are remanded so that retrospective medical opinions can be provided addressing the severity of each disability over the entire course of the period on appeal.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to July 19, 2024 for additional development.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, headaches, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy based on the Veteran's credible reports of continuous symptoms since service and the nexus to his in-service head trauma.

The Board granted increased disability ratings for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve branches, but denied an increased rating for the femoral nerve branch. The Veteran was also granted a TDIU from November 16, 2007 to March 11, 2014.

The case is remanded for additional evidentiary development and discussion consistent with the terms of a Joint Motion for Partial Remand.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a 40 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due solely to the service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Board remands the claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for various service-connected conditions due to missing records and a need for additional development.