Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, effective July 23, 2019.

The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's low back strain and right ankle strain, as well as a TDIU prior to December 23, 2022, and an effective date of December 21, 2017, but no earlier, for DEA benefits.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and a rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right knee, left knee, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity disabilities as new and relevant evidence was not received.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for the right leg or 10 percent for the left leg.

The Board denied an effective date prior to May 3, 2021 for the award of service connection for various disabilities and DEA benefits.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for a left knee condition, right knee condition, and lower back pain and left lower extremity pain.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection of right knee strain, lower extremity radiculopathies, and DEA benefits, but denied earlier effective dates for erectile dysfunction and special monthly compensation.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, headaches disability, and a left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, status post discectomy. The claims for coughing disability, GERD, and cervical spine disability were remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that he was not precluded from all types of substantially gainful employment consistent with his background and education.

The appeal for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, a left shoulder disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and left trigeminal neuralgia was dismissed due to concurrent review mechanisms being prohibited by applicable regulations.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, and radiculopathies, effective August 20, 2018, the day following separation from active-duty service.

The Board denied service connection for various claimed conditions, including cervical spine disorder, knee disorders, neuritis of the upper and lower extremities, lumbar spine disorder, and musculoskeletal arthritis, as there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 40 percent for the thoracolumbar spine disability from May 19, 2015 through April 25, 2022, but denied a higher rating thereafter. The evaluations for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy were also denied.

The Board granted service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected plantar fasciitis with degenerative arthritis.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection of multiple conditions, including left and right knee disabilities, tension headaches, elbow and wrist disabilities, lumbar spine disability, sciatica of the right leg, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 50 percent for chronic sinusitis, 10 percent for tinnitus, and 30 percent for cervical strain. It granted an initial rating of at least 10 percent for right tibia fracture residuals effective January 26, 2018, and at least 20 percent effective June 2, 2021. The Board remanded several other issues including secondary service connection claims.

The appeal for service connection for left hip and right wrist conditions is dismissed as moot because the benefits were granted.,The appeals for service connection for right hand/fingers and right lower extremity sciatica radiculopathy are denied due to lack of evidence supporting a diagnosis.,Service connection for left shoulder and right shoulder conditions is granted based on onset during active service.,Initial ratings for lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and hemorrhoids are denied as the criteria were not met.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, except for the dismissal of previously granted conditions.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, granted an effective date of December 29, 2017, for TDIU and DEA benefits, and remanded the issue of a compensable evaluation for scar, post lumbar laminectomy.