Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, headaches, left shoulder pain, right shoulder pain, LLER as secondary to lower back condition, and RLER as secondary to lower back condition. The appeals are all denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of service-connected left and right lower extremity radiculopathies, as well as thoracolumbar spine disability, have been dismissed due to untimely Notice of Disagreement filings. The appeal for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The reduction in the disability rating for RLE radiculopathy from 20 percent to 10 percent disabling, effective July 25, 2019, was proper.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as right knee degenerative arthritis. The effective dates are April 23, 2020, and April 5, 2023 respectively.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity was dismissed as the AOJ granted a separate claim of service connection in December 2025.

The Board has granted initial ratings of 40 percent for sciatica of the right and left lower extremities, effective from the date of the January 2021 rating decision.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's failure to timely file a Board Appeal request within one year of the rating decisions, and no good cause was shown for the delay.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU and DEA benefits effective July 5, 2017. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable since January 31, 2016.

The Veteran's back condition was not rated higher than 40 percent due to lack of favorable ankylosis.,Left and right lower extremity sciatic radulopathy were not rated higher than 20 percent as there was no evidence of moderately severe incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings of his service-connected lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities at a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral knee and right shoulder conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 13, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not found to be incurred during a period of active service or secondary to his service-connected cervical strain with intervertebral disc syndrome.,The Board determined that the evidence did not support finding that the Veteran's current lumbosacral spine conditions, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy were incurred during a period of active service or secondary to his service-connected cervical strain with intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremity external cutaneous nerves as secondary to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine are being remanded due to a lack of specificity in the September 2024 VA examination report and the need for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a left hip condition, back condition, left leg radiculopathy, and right leg radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back condition.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective February 21, 2007, due to his service-connected lumbar spine and left lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease and lower extremity radiculopathy, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from August 1, 2013 to November 23, 2014. The Board granted TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, as the AOJ should obtain a medical opinion differentiating the respiratory impairment attributable to his service-connected lung condition from that attributable to non-service-connected COPD.

The Board has denied service connection for sinus, neck, right arm radiculopathy as secondary to neck condition, IBS, low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left knee disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted with effective dates of November 21, 2019. The Veteran is now service-connected for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his sciatic nerve impairment was denied. The effective date for the initial rating of 10% for RLE femoral nerve impairment is set at May 18, 2020, and the current 20% evaluation for RLE sciatic radiculopathy is effective July 29, 2024.