Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Veteran's bilateral foot disabilities, to include pes planus with plantar fasciitis, are granted. The claims for service connection for sciatica/radicular pain in the right and left legs were denied.

The Board restored the 30% rating for bilateral hearing loss from January 13, 2025, and denied increased ratings for right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, right thumb arthritis, right index finger arthritis, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board granted service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Agoraphobia as well as cervical spine strain, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy. A 40 percent rating was assigned for gastritis.

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left upper extremity (LUE) radiculopathy, upper/middle radicular group.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's back disability from October 14, 2014 to January 3, 2015 and denied higher ratings at other times. The Board also granted separate 10 percent ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted the restoration of a 40 percent disability rating for both left and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, effective September 19, 2024.

The Board granted service connection for GERD, a lumbar spine disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee osteoarthritis with instability.

The Board denied increased ratings for cervical spine, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder arthritis, left and right shoulder instability, and a right shoulder scar disabilities but granted restoration of the 20 percent rating for right shoulder instability.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with interverbal disc syndrome and right lower extremity radiculopathy, effective June 1, 2023.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation, a compensable rating for his neck scar, and higher ratings for various service-connected conditions.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities, including lumbar degenerative disc disease and radiculopathies, as well as tinnitus, due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran was granted an increased initial disability rating of 30 percent for a neck disability, and SMC based on the need for aid and attendance from April 27, 2013 to July 14, 2020. The claims for higher ratings for left and right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy were denied.

The appeal regarding service connection for sleep apnea was dismissed, and the claim for tinnitus was denied. The remaining claims were remanded for further evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral sciatica and remanded the claims for cervicalgia and cervical radiculopathy due to a need for additional evidence.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, left upper extremity (LUE) radiculopathy, right upper extremity (RUE) radiculopathy, and tinnitus based on the evidence showing onset during active duty for training (ACDUTRA).

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with radiculopathy and denied an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for knee strain, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and related conditions, and lumbar spine pain and its radiculopathy due to duty to assist errors.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy from April 13, 2022, and a 30 percent rating for right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy. It also granted an effective date of April 13, 2022, for the award of Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and entitlement to TDIU due to further development of evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left upper extremity radiculopathy and cervical spinal stenosis with degenerative disc disease, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.