Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted an effective date of August 10, 2021, for the grant of service connection for right elbow disability and initial ratings of 30 percent and 40 percent for right upper extremity radiculopathy and left upper extremity radiculopathy, respectively.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and granted initial disability ratings of 10 percent for left hip strain limitation of extension and right hip strain limitation of extension.

The Board remands the case to obtain a retrospective medical opinion on the extent that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities affect his ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right and left shoulders, and right knee degenerative arthritis. The appeals for increased ratings for radiculopathy were denied.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar degenerative disc disease L5-S1 and a rating in excess of 20 percent for left sciatic radiculopathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to provide the Veteran an adequate VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for fatigue and a left ankle disability, as well as denied increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded claims for lumbar disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and tinea versicolor due to missing service treatment records.

The Board restored the 40% rating for lumbar spine intervertebral disc disease with chronic strain residuals, effective October 15, 2019. The claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings, finding that the evidence did not support an earlier date of entitlement or a higher rating based on the facts found.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee meniscal tear, bilateral plantar fasciitis, cervical spine surgery, and radiculopathies as secondary to cervical spine surgery due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left and right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, finding that the evidence does not support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board granted service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability, and denied an increased rating for tinnitus. The decision also remanded issues related to the Veteran's back and left shoulder disabilities.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's back disability and granted earlier effective dates for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date prior to April 6, 2022, for the assignment of a 60 percent rating for peptic ulcer disease and a 10 percent rating for radiculopathy right lower extremity, sciatic nerve.

The Board remands the claims for further development and examination to adequately assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted an effective date of June 22, 2011 for the award of service connection for right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the left ankle disability, a 10 percent rating from November 18, 2013 and a 100 percent rating from September 7, 2021 to October 9, 2022 for the right knee disability.

The Board remands several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of both legs, and asthma, for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for additional ratings for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve disabilities, as the symptoms were already contemplated by his current rating.