Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Board has granted an effective date of October 6, 2010 for the Veteran's entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on his need for aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from obtaining or securing substantially gainful employment since November 20, 2015. The effective date for the TDIU is set at November 20, 2015.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve associated with service-connected lumbar spine disability is granted a 60 percent rating from October 2, 2018 to April 22, 2025. A separate 30 percent rating for the external popliteal nerve is granted from January 31, 2020 onward. The Veteran's urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence are each rated at 20 percent prior to April 23, 2025. Erectile dysfunction is also rated at 20 percent prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to insufficient information provided by the VA examinations and failure to consider the ameliorative effects of medications on her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis, left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis, hypertension, constipation, and bilateral hypertensive retinopathy. The Veteran's skin condition is considered part of the service connection for fungal onychomycosis, tinea pedis and hyperkeratosis.

The Veteran's claims for radiculopathy, left lower extremity and right lower extremity have been granted with effective dates of May 10, 2024.,The Veteran's claim for a left bicep disorder has been denied as there is no current diagnosis related to the condition.

The Board has decided to remand two separate claims for increased ratings of radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities due to a lack of findings on nerve paralysis.

The Board denied the Veteran's motions to revise final rating decisions that did not assign separate ratings for radiculopathy of the lower extremities and assigned a 10% rating for shoulder degenerative arthritis. The decision found no CUE in these decisions.

The Veteran's application for PCAFC benefits was denied due to not meeting the criteria of needing personal care services based on activities of daily living. The Board found that the decision summary and reasoning were inadequate, and thus remanded the case for further review.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection have been granted.,Effective November 20, 2017, the Veteran is in receipt of service connection for cervical and lumbosacral spine strains. The grants of service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy are considered secondary to these already established conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine stenosis and DDD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder bicipital tendonitis, cervical spine DDD, stenosis and facet arthropathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have all been granted. The claims are based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine stenosis and DDD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder bicipital tendonitis, cervical spine DDD, stenosis and facet arthropathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have all been granted. The claims are based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine stenosis and DDD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder bicipital tendonitis, cervical spine DDD, stenosis and facet arthropathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have all been granted. The claims are based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine stenosis and DDD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder bicipital tendonitis, cervical spine DDD, stenosis and facet arthropathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have all been granted. The claims are based on direct service connection.

The Veteran is granted effective dates of April 16, 2018 for the initial evaluations of 40 percent for left and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.,An earlier effective date of March 1, 2018 was also granted for a separate evaluation for right knee instability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine stenosis and DDD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder bicipital tendonitis, cervical spine DDD, stenosis and facet arthropathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have all been granted. The claims are based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine stenosis and DDD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder bicipital tendonitis, cervical spine DDD, stenosis and facet arthropathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have all been granted. The claims are based on direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder, back, and neck conditions due to a lack of STRs and an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection of septal infarct due to her withdrawal request during a hearing. The remaining issues regarding cervical spine condition, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and he is granted a TDIU with an effective date of January 31, 2019.