Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 40 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy, effective February 16, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and insomnia, granted service connection for tinnitus, and remanded claims for further development.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for sinusitis with sinus headaches and remanded several other issues, including increased ratings for radiculopathy of the lower extremities, degenerative arthritis conditions, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's right sciatic nerve radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a disability rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for hemorrhoids, an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD, and a 40 percent rating for left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy. The claim for a higher rating for the left shoulder disability was denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and ratings for various disabilities, including pulmonary disability, back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain, cervicogenic headaches, right wrist sprain, left elbow disability, right knee degenerative arthritis and right knee strain, and left knee strain. However, it denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type I, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hypertension, and remanded claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, right forearm carpal tunnel syndrome, left forearm CTS, a right elbow disability, and a left wrist disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right lumbar radiculopathy, and right foot disability as there was no new and relevant evidence to warrant readjudication.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and earnings information.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but remanded the claim for a left shoulder disability.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) exclusively due to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from July 13, 2017, and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s)(1) from the same date.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including a new VA examination to address the nature and severity of the service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for left foot hallux valgus and left foot plantar fasciitis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, and a 20 percent rating was assigned for residual right knee arthroscopy, right knee plica excision by arthrotomy.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and an effective date prior to August 6, 2021, for TDIU due to further development of evidence.

The Board denied service connection for left radial and ulnar nerve pain with paresthesia, as secondary to a cervical spine disorder; left sciatic radicular pain with paresthesia of the left leg, as secondary to a back disorder; and an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the left and right upper extremities, and tension headaches. The cervical strain rating was remanded.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve was dismissed due to the law of the case doctrine.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, as well as remanded a claim for service connection of sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability based on his left lower extremity radiculopathy alone, as it does not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the awards of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, denied an initial rating higher than 40 percent for the service-connected lumbar spine disability, granted a temporary total rating (100 percent) based on surgical treatment for the lumbar spine, denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, granted an earlier effective date of March 17, 2014, for service connection of scars status post lumbar spine surgery, denied an initial compensable disability rating for scars status post lumbar spine surgery, and granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need of regular aid and attendance prior to May 16, 2019.