Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss disability, right ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and lumbar spine disability due to a lack of persuasive evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's DM II does not meet the criteria for a disability rating higher than 20 percent, as her condition requires treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents and restricted diet but no regulation of activities.,For lumbar strain, RLE radiculopathy, and LLE radiculopathy, remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the severity of these conditions without considering the ameliorating effects of medication.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted as secondary to a service-connected low back disability.,Service connection for psychiatric, prostate, left hip, and right hip disabilities is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings and service connection claims. The adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood, left knee strain, right knee strain, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), lumbar discogenic pain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy were all denied.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU for the period from August 27, 2013 to January 26, 2016 and from March 1, 2016 to October 28, 2025 due to service-connected disabilities that rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lower back disability and his left and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to various duty-to-assist errors identified in the RO's decisions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical radiculopathy, left upper extremity; chronic left lower extremity sciatica injury with pain; chronic right lower extremity sciatica injury with pain; and eczema, bilateral legs. The issues are being returned due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cervical disc pain with degenerative disease and arthritis (neck disorder), right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right hand and thumb joint pain and arthritis, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is required to be provided notice of their right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision. The claim will be reconsidered based on all available evidence, including lay statements and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. His bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable throughout the period on appeal, while his other conditions (hypogonadism, diabetes mellitus, traumatic brain injury, radiculopathies) did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 30, 2025, for the award of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, spondylolisthesis and dextroscoliosis, as well as initial increased disability ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for eligibility to have attorney fees paid due to the assignment of a 30 percent rating for his service-connected bilateral knee conditions in the May 2024 rating decision. The other issues were granted, but not based on past-due benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, resulting in a denial of SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity sciatic peripheral neuropathy and diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction have been granted increased ratings, while the nonproliferative retinopathy and PTSD remain denied.

The reduction in rating for service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy to 20 percent effective November 1, 2025 is improper as void ab initio; therefore, the petition to restore a 40 percent rating effective October 19, 2020 is granted. Entitlement to any rating in excess of 40 percent effective October 19, 2020 for service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and DEA benefits due to the date of diagnosis being August 9, 2024.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining complete treatment records from Dr. Akin and Dr. Dolnick, and obtaining medical opinions addressing whether the Veteran's current back disability was caused by wear and tear during service or aggravation of a preexisting scoliosis.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected and non-service-connected conditions, with some issues being remanded for further evaluation. The primary issue is the need to determine if additional evaluations are warranted for various disabilities.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of July 24, 2020 for service connection of degenerative arthritis lumbosacral spine and related conditions, including radiculopathy right lower extremity. The decision is based on the submission of a valid Supplemental Claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him substantially confined to his dwelling and immediate premises prior to his death, granting entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status for accrued purposes.