Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board dismissed the appeal for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent and earlier effective dates for service connection, as well as denied initial higher ratings for radiculopathies.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and vertigo, while remanding claims for sciatica nerve pain, headache condition, and low back condition.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and denied an initial rating higher than 50 percent for PTSD with depression, adjustment disorder, and anxiety prior to May 21, 2020, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the service-connected psychiatric disorder alone.

The Board granted service connection for a disability of the left scapula as secondary to costochondritis and granted a TDIU rating, while denying service connection for radiculopathy of both lower extremities and increased ratings for various disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for radiculopathy of both lower extremities and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date, as the maximum schedular rating of 100 percent for PTSD with persistent depressive disorder and traumatic brain injury has been in effect since April 19, 2019.

The Board granted increased disability ratings for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative lumbar spine arthritis with IVDS and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and service connection due to untimely notice of disagreement.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection and other related claims, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to an inadequate examination report.

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

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction, granted a 10 percent rating for the painful right knee scar, and denied increased ratings for adjustment disorder with depressed mood and other conditions.

The Board granted an effective date of March 24, 2022, for the grant of service connection for various conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy with an effective date of December 29, 2013, a 70 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from April 17, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for the left side or 20 percent for the right side.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left and right sciatic radiculopathy, but denied higher ratings for the left femoral and right femoral radiculopathy. The claim for a TDIU was also denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for the lumbar spine disability, residual scars associated with the lumbar spine disability, and radiculopathy of both lower extremities.

The Board remands the case for further development, including an examination to address potential neurological symptoms related to the Veteran's service-connected back condition.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and a separate 10 percent rating from March 21, 2016 to October 20, 2024 for right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the service-connected lumbosacral spine condition. The claim for an increased rating for the right shoulder acromioclavicular separation was denied.