Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran was granted a higher level of special monthly compensation and an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, a right shoulder contusion, left shoulder arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, right upper extremity tremors, and left upper extremity tremors.

The Board remands the case for a medical opinion addressing the level of the Veteran's neurological impairment from his right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to address the severity of the Veteran's right hand median nerve radiculopathy without considering the ameliorative effects of his medication.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for low back strain and a rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve after April 26, 2024. However, it granted a 20 percent rating for the left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve prior to that date and remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right ankle disabilities were granted increased ratings to 40 percent from July 8, 2016.

The Board remands the case for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the issues for further development and issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, remanded several other issues including a rating increase for major depressive disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, disorders of the hands, and a foot disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and granted a 10 percent rating for a scar on the third middle finger of the left hand from November 21, 2014 to November 21, 2015.

The appeal is remanded for further examination and clarification regarding the Veteran's right leg radiculopathy with impairment of the internal saphenous nerve.

The Board remands the claims for further development, specifically to obtain private treatment records from Dr. G.E.H. related to a September 2023 spinal stimulator surgery.

The appeal is remanded to satisfy VA's duty to assist and to comply with the terms of a Joint Motion for Partial Remand, as well as the Veteran's request for initial review of newly submitted evidence by the agency of original jurisdiction.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between these conditions and his active military service.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent disability rating for degenerative disc disease of lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome effective May 22, 2023, and denied increased ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy were granted a 40 percent rating, but no higher.

The Board remanded the case for further development to obtain a retrospective medical opinion addressing functional loss during flareups and with repeated use over time prior to June 2021, as the previous opinions did not provide sufficient information regarding the Veteran's functional loss.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 40 percent for the lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.

The appeal for a rating greater than 20 percent for lumbosacral radiculopathy of the left lower extremity prior to December 24, 2015, and after April 2, 2017, was withdrawn by the Veteran. An initial 40 percent rating for incomplete paralysis of the right lower extremity sciatic nerve is granted.