Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2026

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective October 10, 2013, based on his service-connected disabilities. The effective date is the earliest possible as it aligns with when he stopped working due to his neck disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted. The Board has also remanded the cases for increased rating examinations.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with myofascial pain syndrome and femoral nerve radiculopathy of the right lower extremity were denied. The current effective date remains June 17, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss or permanent loss of use of a hand or foot, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ankylosis of one or both knees or hips, or permanent impairment of vision. Therefore, the criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of one automobile or other conveyance with necessary automotive adaptive equipment are not met.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's shin splints of the left leg and right leg are both granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar strain.,The Veteran's left sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia and right sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia are both granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar strain.,These grants of service connection are effective from the date of the decision, January 27, 2026.

The Board has granted service connection for back pain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's conditions are found to be aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome and left lower extremity radiculopathy, result in a loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board finds that the statutory and regulatory criteria for specially adapted housing are met, thus granting the benefit.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (LLE), and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (RLE) due to a duty to assist error in obtaining adequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The claims for service connection on all listed conditions are not before the Board.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain a VA examination and opinions regarding the etiology of his sleep apnea disability.,The Veteran's cervical strain and right upper extremity radiculopathy issues are denied as there is no evidence that they were incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 8, 2023 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) because it is not factually ascertainable that his service-connected conditions caused him to become unemployable within one year before filing the claim.

The Board has remanded the claims of increased ratings for lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and left knee disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not considering the effects of medication on the severity of these conditions.

The Board has decided that the claims for service connection related to various conditions should be remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to provide proper notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing on a supplemental claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being REMANDED due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his lumbar spine, knee, and radiculopathy conditions. The RO must also schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and severity of his right rib fractures and hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's bilateral radiculopathies of the lower extremities for the sciatic nerve and femoral nerve are manifest by no more than mild incomplete paralysis, resulting in a denial of higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee condition, hypertension, and bilateral plantar fasciitis due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's STRs show elevated blood pressure levels during service, which may be related to his current hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss of use of a hand or foot, permanent impairment of both eyes, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of a knee or hip. Therefore, the Veteran is denied financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, or adaptive equipment only.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the inadequacy of the January 2025 VA examination. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to procedural issues and a need for additional medical examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claims for service connection and assigned effective dates of November 3, 2016, for all disabilities.