Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain and related conditions, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, hypertension, migraines, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the appellant's military service. The claims for service connection for right foot disability, left foot disability, cervical strain, lumbar strain, left upper extremity (LUE) radiculopathy, right upper extremity (RUE) radiculopathy, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy, left knee disability, and right ankle disability were remanded for further development.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy, a 30 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy, and a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, all effective from July 19, 2024. The lumbar spine disability claim was remanded.

The Board granted an effective date of February 1, 2019, for the award of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, strain, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and stenosis, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for impairment of each sciatic nerve, finding that the Veteran's sciatic nerve impairments are no worse than mild.

The appeal to readjudicate service connection for left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, lumbar spine disorder, and left hip disorder was denied as new and relevant evidence has not been submitted.

The Board granted the Veteran's claim for an allowance for an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran due to his service-connected disabilities that have resulted in the effective loss or permanent loss of use in both lower extremities.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome, meniscal tear and shin splints, but denied higher ratings for other knee conditions. Service connection was also granted for left knee radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, low back disability, and radiculopathy of both lower extremities as secondary to the low back disability.

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

The Veteran's effective date for service connection of depressive disorder was granted as October 11, 2022, but no earlier. The claims for earlier effective dates for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy were denied.

The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU prior to November 30, 2021, as the Veteran was not shown to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for left upper extremity (LUE) cervical radiculopathy and dismissed the claims for an earlier effective date of TDIU and DEA.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity (LLE) sciatic radiculopathy, and right lower extremity (RLE) sciatic radiculopathy to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, as secondary to the lumbar spine disability, a cervical spine disability, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, as secondary to the cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, with IVDS, and lumbar spondylosis was granted a 20 percent rating from July 13, 2017 to October 17, 2023, but denied for the period from October 18, 2023 to February 19, 2024. The 20 percent rating was restored effective February 20, 2024.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a neurological disorder affecting both lower extremities, to include radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of a current disability during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for right leg radiculopathy from November 15, 2021, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied higher ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for sciatica of the left lower extremity due to a need for an addendum opinion.