Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy and a 40 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied an increased rating for the chronic right ankle sprain with peroneus brevis tendon split tear.

The Board granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back condition.

The Board granted the appeal to restore a 40 percent evaluation for radiculopathy, right lower extremity.

The Board granted service connection for right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, and overactive bladder. The claims for right carpal tunnel syndrome, left CTS, and a bilateral eye condition were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for further development and examination to address the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease with IVDS status post spinal fusion, as well as his left and right upper and lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for cervical myofasciitis and service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected cervical myofasciitis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left upper and lower extremity radiculopathies to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and knee degenerative joint diseases were granted increased ratings to 40 percent. Service connection for the knee conditions was also granted as secondary to his back and leg disabilities.

The Board granted an effective date of August 20, 2019 for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic) and assigned initial disability ratings for lumbosacral spine strain with IVDS, right and left lower extremity radiculopathies, and hypertension.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of October 25, 2005 for the 30 percent disability rating of left upper extremity radiculopathy but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for DDD of the cervical spine with spondylosis and adhesive capsulitis of the left shoulder.

The appeals for severance of service connection and increased disability ratings were dismissed, while the appeal for a right knee condition was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, including spinal arthritis of the neck and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of the neck/upper back. However, tinnitus was granted, and a 20% rating was assigned for left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted an earlier effective date for the right calf scar and a TDIU, but denied increased ratings for various conditions.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain with disc bulging at L5-S1 and IVDS, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, effective September 1, 2024.

The Board granted an effective date of September 16, 2021, for the grant of service connection for left knee limitation of extension and a 30 percent rating for right ankle ankylosis. The appeal was denied for earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 20 percent effective October 31, 2014, and a TDIU was granted for the same date.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for higher initial ratings for service-connected right and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, right wrist sprain, left wrist disability manifested by pain, left foot arthritis, right foot arthritis and hallux valgus, headaches, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, degenerative changes of the cervical spine, right lateral epicondylitis (claimed as right arm disability), and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy (claimed as left arm disability and left elbow disability).

The appeal regarding the propriety of the award of attorney fees to H.B. was denied, while the issue of reasonableness of the fee award is being remanded for further review.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, lower extremity radiculopathy, and left salpingectomy with residual pelvic adhesions.