Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of relevant records and for additional VA addendum medical opinions. The Veteran's conditions are related to incidents during his military service, but specific details about these incidents are unclear.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral upper and lower extremity conditions due to an expressly prohibited concurrent election. The Veteran's hearing loss is rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for rhinitis is denied.,Initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and earlier effective dates due to inadequate VA examinations. The issues of entitlement to an earlier effective date for TDIU, DEA, and service connection are also inextricably intertwined.

The Board has found that the Veteran requires personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months due to physical limitations resulting from his musculoskeletal and radiculopathy conditions. The issue is remanded to determine if participation in the PCAFC program would be in the Veteran's best interest.

The reduction in the disability rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity with sacroiliitis was improper, and a 10 percent evaluation is reinstated effective October 1, 2024. Service connection for COPD and asthma is granted due to Gulf War environmental hazards.

The Veteran's low back disability was granted service connection on October 22, 2018.,Effective from October 22, 2018, the Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathies (sciatic nerve) were also granted secondary to his low back disability.,The effective dates for these conditions are all set at October 22, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, transient global amnesia, tinnitus, and PTSD have been denied. The Board has found that there is no competent evidence of these conditions during the pendency of the claim.,For the lumbar spine disability, the Veteran was granted service connection but a higher rating remains in dispute.

The Veteran's scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.,There is no evidence that the right lower extremity radiculopathy developed due to his service-connected back disability.

The Board has determined that the decision on appeal was not legally adequate and requires remand for correction. The matter is being remanded to obtain a medical opinion from the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) regarding personal care services needs, supervision requirements, and need for regular or extensive instruction or supervision without which daily life would be seriously impaired.

The Veteran's right knee disability, spondylolisthesis of the neck as secondary to cervical strain, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of the neck as secondary to cervical strain, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to cervical strain, and migraines have been granted service connection. The lower back strain (lumbosacral strain), middle back strain (thoracic strain), spinal stenosis as secondary to degenerative arthritis, spondylolisthesis, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have also been granted service connection. The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his already-service connected cervical spine condition has been denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on four specific conditions has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The low back condition, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and alopecia associated with pseudofolliculitis barbae are all granted initial ratings. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sciatica and spinal nerve damage, as well as a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spondylosis with spinal stenosis, are being remanded due to inadequate medical examinations and the need for additional private treatment records.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of March 21, 2024 for service connection to the Veteran for degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine; irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); and radiculopathy, left lower, sciatic.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's knee disabilities, including higher ratings and earlier effective dates. The issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted service connection.,Service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are also granted.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy disabilities are granted with a rating of 40 percent, but no higher, effective December 4, 2024.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity sciatica was granted with an effective date of May 12, 2021. The claims for left shoulder and right shoulder conditions were also granted with the same effective date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability, dental disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an initial increased rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD has been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than April 6, 2023, for the grant of service connection for GERD has been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 12, 2022, for the increased 20 percent rating for a low back disability has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 12, 2022, for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy has been denied.