Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and he is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy and denied an increased rating for cervical spondylosis with cord compression, while remanding a claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation at any point during the appeal period.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine disability manifested by pain and functional impairment, as well as lumbar radiculopathy affecting the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left foot fracture, status post bone spur surgery.

The Board granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and increased the ratings for lumbar spine, sciatic nerve radiculopathy (bilateral), femoral nerve radiculopathy (bilateral), and urinary disorder disabilities.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a neck disability, back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right hand disability, and right foot disability, as additional development is required to address causation and aggravation.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for back disability, sciatica of the right lower extremity, and sciatica of the left lower extremity due to an incomplete VA examination.

The appeal was dismissed for several conditions, and a 20 percent rating was granted for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to August 31, 2017, while higher ratings were denied.

The Board remands the case to secure a VA medical opinion that addresses whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, status post laminotomy and partial diskectomy; left shoulder, status post total shoulder arthroplasty; right shoulder tendonitis; radiculopathy of the left lower extremity; right lower extremity radiculopathy; left foot first and second toe numbness, status post benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor removal; and/or bipolar disorder with mixed features and ADHD in near total remission.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy prior to August 22, 2024, but denied a higher rating on and after that date.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a higher disability rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy due to an inadequate VA examination report and opinion.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied increased ratings for the low back condition and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but granted a 40% rating from August 4, 2016, to August 20, 2018, for the low back condition and a 40% rating from December 30, 2020, for left lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic nerve.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected physical disabilities and granted a 40 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability prior to April 2, 2024. The decision also denied increased ratings for PTSD, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, right ankle, left ankle, and bilateral pes planus.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and separate ratings for radiculopathy conditions due to a failure in duty to assist, specifically regarding the acquisition of necessary medical evidence.

The Board denied service connection for neurobehavioral effects due to a lack of current disability, and remanded claims for cervical spine, right knee, right shoulder, lumbar spine, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to a cervical spine disability.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) due to his service-connected spine disability and associated radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, effective September 27, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) from April 23, 2009.

The claims for service connection for various conditions are remanded due to the lack of compliance with previous Board remand directives.