Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2025

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of left lower extremity radiculopathy, and the Board has no jurisdiction to proceed with these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates, as well as remanded a claim for TDIU.

The Board dismissed claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and left knee strain, but granted a 40 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from January 31, 2019.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased initial ratings and earlier effective dates, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or earlier effective dates.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition and radiculopathy, left lower extremity (claimed as bilateral radiculopathy in the legs) due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for right lower extremity (RLE) sciatica, left lower extremity (LLE) sciatica, and a right knee disability as the evidence did not support the presence of these conditions during or approximate to the pendency of the claims.

The Board denied service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease, cervical degenerative joint disease, and bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy as the probative evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and denied the claims for an earlier effective date, increased ratings, and other service connection issues.

The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent, but not higher, for the Veteran's thoracolumbar back condition and separate ratings of 20 percent for right leg radiculopathy, service connection for left knee strain as secondary to the service-connected right knee strain, and service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities, as the evidence did not support that the Veteran had these conditions prior to June 28, 2016.

The Board granted an effective date of September 23, 2021, for the award of a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and a 10 percent rating for his right lower extremity femoral radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve as secondary to the Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board also granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches throughout the period on appeal.

The Board denied a rating higher than 20 percent for the lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and granted a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted an initial 40 percent rating for the back disability prior to March 10, 2022, and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent as of that date. For the left lower extremity radiculopathy, it granted an initial 20 percent rating prior to June 18, 2024, and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent as of that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve and remanded the claim for degenerative joint and disc disease, lumbosacral strain; intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for right leg radiculopathy and asthma, and a rating of 30 percent, but no greater, for headaches. The claims for increased ratings were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and dismissed the claim for tinnitus as moot, while denying increased ratings for lower extremity radiculopathy and remanding several back and limb conditions for further evaluation.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and denied increased ratings for multiple conditions, including left ear hearing loss, cervical spine arthritis with degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine strain with degenerative arthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board also remanded service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and right ear hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability and a back disability, but denied service connection for BPPV. The right lumbar radiculopathy was also granted as secondary to the back disability.