Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is granted as secondary to her service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities. The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve remains at a 20 percent rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for separate ratings for bilateral femoral and sciatic neuralgia and neuritis as they are considered to be duplicative of the already assigned disability ratings for his lumbar radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 40 percent prior to January 19, 2012 for lower back disability was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 25, 2005 for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy was also denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, including degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and spinal stenosis, is granted as service-connected.,Right upper extremity radiculopathy and left upper extremity radiculopathy are also granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a back condition is granted. The claims for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve are denied.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, and her left shoulder strain is rated at 20 percent. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for the left shoulder strain.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected right and left lower extremity radiculopathies affecting the sciatic and femoral nerves have been denied. The evidence does not support higher ratings based on current symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for right sciatic neuropathy with myofascial pain was denied. The Board found that the disability did not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent prior to September 18, 2020 and 40 percent thereafter.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for RUE radiculopathy with right-hand CTS, finding that her symptoms prior to September 21, 2012, most nearly approximated mild, incomplete paralysis and as of September 21, 2012, most nearly approximated moderate, incomplete paralysis. The Veteran was not granted any increased ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 28, 2010, to August 26, 2016. The Board granted the TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for IVDD with DJD of the lumbosacral spine prior to March 3, 2020 and from March 3, 2020; left lower extremity radiculopathy from November 6, 2014; and right lower extremity radiculopathy from November 6, 2014. The remand is due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities were denied as there was no evidence showing that her symptoms warranted a rating higher than 20 percent.

The appeal regarding arthritis throughout the body and sciatic nerve neuropathy of the left lower extremity is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for right lower extremity neuropathy was denied.

The Veteran's appeal to reduce his disability ratings for bilateral lower extremity femoral radiculopathy from 10 percent to 0 percent is dismissed because the appeal was submitted prematurely.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and insomnia disorder have been granted service connection. The Veteran's IBS and TBI claims were denied due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions during her active duty.

The Veteran's left ankle scars are currently assigned a noncompensable evaluation, and the appeal for an initial compensable evaluation is denied.,The effective dates for service connection of right knee disorder and left ankle scar, low back disorder, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are all denied as they cannot be earlier than May 12, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective October 24, 2011 due to service-connected depression. He is also granted SMC from January 24, 2025 based on the combined rating of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity has been withdrawn by his representative.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of diagnosis for RLE radiculopathy, and a need for a current peripheral nerve examination.