Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain as secondary to the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder. The Board also granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder from November 8, 2021.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating and a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity at the femoral nerve, respectively, effective January 6, 2022.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and de Quervain's tenosynovitis of the right wrist. The appeal to reduce the evaluation of PTSD from 70 percent to 30 percent was dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for earlier effective dates of service connection for various conditions, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these withdrawn appeals.

The Board remands the case for a new medical opinion and to acquire outstanding relevant treatment records.

The Board granted service connection for GERD and a left knee disability, while denying service connection for other conditions. Some issues were remanded for further development.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's neck disability, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and painful neck scar status post GSW.

The claims for service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy were initially denied but later granted in a January 2025 rating decision, each rated 10 percent disabling effective July 15, 2016.

The Board restored the Veteran's 10 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy effective January 8, 2018. The Veteran was denied a compensable rating prior to August 16, 2024, and an increased rating thereafter.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as these issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 40 percent for right foot tarsal tunnel syndrome with right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, a rating in excess of 10 percent or left foot tarsal tunnel syndrome with left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, and ratings in excess of 30 percent and 20 percent respectively for right rotator cuff tendinitis, AC joint osteoarthritis, and degenerative joint disease, and left rotator cuff tendinitis, AC joint osteoarthritis, and degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, including PTSD with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and TBI, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndromes, and hypertension.

The Board granted service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease, left and right cervical radiculopathy, secondary to the neck disability.

The Board granted an effective date of June 17, 2019, for the award of service connection for bilateral lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy and bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy.

The Board denied increased ratings for several conditions, granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD and effective dates from July 15, 2020, for TDIU and DEA benefits, but denied earlier effective dates.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for left shoulder osteoarthritis and right lower extremity sciatic nerve, as there was no evidence of continuous pursuit of these claims within one year of the initial denials.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder strain and remanded the claims for migraine headaches, left ankle pain, lower back pain, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and right knee pain condition.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy as further development is necessary to address duty to assist errors.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and initial ratings for various disabilities, finding that the Veteran's claims were not timely or supported by new evidence.

The Board granted a 100 percent evaluation for pulmonary sarcoidosis, denied an increased evaluation for anxiety and lumbar spine disability with radiculopathy.