The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected lower extremity radiculopathy, associated with his low back disorder, has been manifested by no more than mild incomplete sciatic neuralgia in the left lower extremity and no disability of the right lower extremity. Therefore, the criteria for an initial rating above 10 percent have not been met.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's radiculopathy was found to be mild based on objective examination findings and did not result in functional impairment or additional disability beyond that already accounted for by his service-connected low back disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 6, 2010
- Citation
- 1016873
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1016873.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sciatic radiculopathy of the RIGHT lower extremity as secondary to degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, increased the rating for PTSD from 50 percent to 70 percent from September 1, 2017 to July 8, 2019, granted TDIU effective January 1, 2014, and awarded SMC based on housebound status effective September 1, 2017.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection for diabetes mellitus, lower extremity radiculopathy, upper extremity radiculopathy, and plantar fasciitis due to a lack of evidence supporting current disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease and scoliosis, as well as lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to these conditions, due to deficiencies in the evidence regarding aggravation of a pre-existing condition.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for several conditions, including PTSD with a rating of 70%, and remanded others.
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