Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, but granted a separate rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy from October 20, 2020.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy based on a direct link to the Veteran's military service.

The Board granted an effective date of November 29, 2018, for left lower extremity radiculopathy and a rating of 40 percent from that date.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals for increased ratings and remanded certain issues, including TDIU and SMC.

The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right upper and lower extremities but denied an increased rating for functional abdominal pain syndrome.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and traumatic brain injury due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and right and left knee disabilities. The claims for headaches, a lumbar spine disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy were remanded.

The Board granted a 20 percent initial rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome and service connection for left knee strain, but denied other claims including increased ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, incomplete right bundle branch block (claimed as cardiac arrhythmia), degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine with IVDS, scarring of the left inguinal area, status post varicocele surgery, and service connection for left shoulder strain and restless leg syndrome.

The Board remands the claims for earlier effective dates due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors and inadequate VA examinations.

The Board granted an effective date of March 27, 2020, for the grant of service connection for IVDS with spondylosis and denied earlier effective dates for left and right sciatic radiculopathy. The Board also denied increased ratings for IVDS with spondylosis and sciatic radiculopathies and granted a TDIU from June 1, 2020.

The Board dismissed the appeal for restoration of a 40 percent rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and a 20 percent rating for lower left extremity radiculopathy as the ratings were restored in an April 30, 2025 Higher-Level Review (HLR) rating decision.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 30, 2017, for a 20 percent rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of increased ratings for a lumbar disability and lower extremity radiculopathies, effective August 4, 2022.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining a retrospective medical opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions without the use of pain medication and securing the credentials of the VA examiners.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves in the right lower extremity, as there was no evidence to suggest that the conditions had ever manifested in moderately severe paralysis or worse during the appellate period.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar spine disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for left-sided mild incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right eye dry eyes, cataracts of the left and right eyes, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, left renal arteriovenous malformation, aneurysm, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, recurrent subluxation of the left knee prior to May 13, 2020, left total knee replacement, disability rating in excess of 60 percent from September 1, 2021, forward for left total knee replacement, DJD of the right knee, right knee instability, burns of the bilateral ankles, linear scar of the left knee, post-surgical tender scars of the left knee, and a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) based upon service-connected disabilities prior to June 14, 2019.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating, service connection as secondary to a back disability, TDIU, and SMC due to the need for aid and attendance.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left and right lower extremity radiculopathies, left and right hip pain, right knee degenerative arthritis, generalized anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder.