The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right leg disability and an increased rating for his low back disability. The veteran does not have a separate chronic right leg disability, and the preponderance of evidence is against secondary service connection for the claimed right leg disability. The claim for an increased rating for the low back disability was denied as well.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not identify any other chronic right leg problem apart from sciatica associated with the service-connected low back condition, and thus separate service-connection for a right leg disability is not warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Leg Sciatica
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2002
- Citation
- 0218360
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0218360.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with the remand directives and thus, another remand is needed before the Board can adjudicate these issues.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected back disability, right leg sciatica, and left leg sciatica were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional loss or pain, as well as lack of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but no higher. The claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for the back disability is denied.,An initial rating of 40 percent, but no higher, for right leg sciatica secondary to service-connected back disability prior to January 25, 2012, is granted. A rating of 20 percent, but no higher, from January 25, 2012, to May 22, 2016, is also granted.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to service-connected back disability is denied.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for right leg sciatica is dismissed as a freestanding claim due to finality.
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