Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of June 6, 2011 for the Veteran's service connection claims for right and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to service-connected degenerative disc disease. As this impacts the TDIU claim, both issues are being remanded.

The Veteran's September 4, 2024 HLR request was improperly rejected by the AOJ. The Board finds that the request is timely and valid, and reinstates the claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing records and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims will be readjudicated after obtaining any necessary records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on housebound status as he does not have a single disability rated at 100% and his disabilities are not so severe that they render him substantially confined to his residence.

The Board dismissed the appeals for right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, as well as an increased rating for a left shoulder disability due to the invalid form signed by an unauthorized representative.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy has been granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to new evidence being added to the record.

The Board has granted effective dates of July 16, 2019 for the awards of service connection for various conditions related to myasthenia gravis and TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were dismissed as the appeal requests were not timely filed.

The Board has granted effective dates of October 21, 2021 for service connection of cervical spine degenerative disc disease with cervical lordosis and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions have been denied. The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of headaches.,Service connection was not granted for bilateral plantar fasciitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ankle strains, wrist strains, neck strain, arm radiculopathy, or leg radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The VA medical opinion is inadequate as it did not address the April 1985 assessment of musculoskeletal pain and October 1986 examination findings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left lower extremity femoral radiculopathy were denied as his disability did not more nearly approximate severe incomplete paralysis during the review period.

The Veteran's back disability, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and levoscoliosis, is granted as service connection. The bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy conditions are also granted as secondary to the now service-connected back disability.,Service connection for a right shoulder disability is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left hip disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, heart disorder, insomnia, sexual arousal disorder, gynecological disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and HTN. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions or their relationship to military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 80 percent evaluation of right lower extremity paralysis of the sciatic nerve branch was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on loss of use of the right foot was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted, with effective dates set at October 18, 2023. The lumbosacral strain has also received a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy was granted an effective date of June 17, 2020. Effective dates for left and right shoulder disabilities were not granted as they are prior to the earliest possible effective date.