Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Low Back Disorder with Radiculopathy, finding that the conditions were not incurred in or related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings due to incomplete evidence and an error in satisfying a regulatory or statutory duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found no current left leg disability other than lumbar radiculopathy, and the skin condition is not related to herbicide exposure in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has found the reduction in ratings for left knee conditions improper and restored the original ratings. The issues of increased ratings, effective dates, and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate examination reports regarding flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical radiculopathy due to a lack of VA examination. The right eye and groin rash claims are denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not rated higher than noncompensable (0 percent).,Service connection for tinnitus has been granted.,Service connection for lumbar spine pain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee pain, and right knee pain have all been granted.,Service connection for an unspecified anxiety disorder has been granted.,The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine condition is the primary cause of his bilateral knee and shoulder pain.

Effective dates of November 6, 2019, are granted for service connection of peripheral neuropathy in multiple extremities and COPD/emphysema. Service connection for atrial fibrillation is also granted.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, sinusitis, rhinitis, and bilateral plantar fasciitis are granted service connection. The Veteran's BPPV is also granted on a secondary basis to her headaches. Service connection for bladder disability and hip disabilities is remanded.

The Board has restored the reduced disability ratings for the service-connected right and left upper extremity radiculopathies, as well as the vascular headaches secondary to head injury. The evidence showed no actual improvement in these conditions under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and to obtain outstanding private treatment records. The issues of TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder disabilities, upper extremity radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy, elbow and wrist disabilities, hand/finger disabilities, hip and knee disabilities, ankle and foot disabilities, lower extremity radiculopathy, hypertension, and left ear hearing loss are all denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions during or proximate to the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right arm disability, including her right elbow and wrist disabilities, as secondary to her service-connected right upper extremity radiculopathy and lumbar spine disability. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to her service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right upper extremity radicular symptoms, including cervical radiculopathy and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome, were rated at 40 percent. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence did not show complete paralysis.

The Veteran's initial ratings for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy have been denied, while a rating of 20% has been granted for the left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a retrospective medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy and its onset prior to November 20, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and secondary left and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The conditions are related to his in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding medical records and scheduling of a VA examination. The issues include initial ratings for various spinal conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's disease, and carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist. The conditions are all found to be related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to toxic substances at Redstone Arsenal.