Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service connection claim for generalized anxiety disorder with depressive and alcohol use disorder is granted. The claims for sleep apnea, left breast disorder, hair loss, RLE radiculopathy, and LLE radiculopathy are denied.

The Board has restored the appellant's 40 percent disability rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy, effective March 27, 2025, as there was no evidence of improvement in his condition under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the Veteran's claims for other conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain missing National Guard records, including those from his time in the Alabama Army National Guard.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring an addendum medical opinion on the nature and etiology of the appellant's DDD other than IVDS.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathies are being remanded due to a pending claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased evaluations of left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the November 2024 rating decision did not address the earlier effective dates for the ratings assigned for the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and lumbar spine disability, and the December 2024 Notice of Disagreement only addressed these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II, and chronic sinusitis, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve is rated at 20 percent, effective August 28, 2012. The Veteran also has service-connected disabilities involving different anatomical segments or bodily systems that are ratable greater than 60 percent from August 28, 2012, qualifying him for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve is rated at 40 percent, but no higher. The TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities is denied as his service-connected conditions do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered her unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since January 15, 2019. Effective from January 14, 2020, the Veteran is granted TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits based on permanent and total disability status due to her service-connected conditions.

Entitlement to an earlier effective date of December 28, 2022 for the grant of service connection for a back disability and RLE radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve is granted.,Entitlement to an earlier effective date of October 2, 2023 for the assignment of a 70 percent rating for PTSD is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS and bulging disc, but the claim for secondary service connection for lumbar spinal stenosis is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding aggravation.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition and associated right upper extremity radiculopathy are granted service connection as they developed during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on aid and attendance is granted, with the effective date set at October 11, 2021.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a back disability and bilateral lower extremities disabilities due to inextricably intertwined issues. The AOJ will consider any new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding earlier effective dates for various evaluations due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a remand is necessary to address his claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.