The Board has determined that the Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is related to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with strain. The claim for a higher evaluation for the lumbar spine disability prior to March 7, 2014, is granted.
The deciding factor: The most recent VA examination confirmed radiculopathy in the right lower extremity secondary to service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with strain.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy of the right lower extremity involving the sciatic nerve, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with strain
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 3, 2016
- Citation
- 1608556
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 1608556.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a temporary total evaluation for the service-connected lumbar spine disability requiring convalescence from July 20, 2018, to August 31, 2018. The Board also granted initial ratings of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities involving the sciatic nerve until certain dates, denied higher ratings, and granted a 50 percent rating for the lumbar spine disability starting September 1, 2018.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a right knee disability and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for herniated disc at L4-L5, as well as related radiculopathy claims, to obtain additional evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for migraine headaches is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether current migraines are related to service, and thus grants service connection on a direct basis.
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