The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is currently rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 8526. The February 2017 VA examination indicated that the severity of his left lower extremity radiculopathy was moderate, warranting a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The February 2017 VA examination provided an opinion regarding the diagnosis and symptoms associated with the Veteran's disability, which was based on citations to the relevant evidence found in the claims file. The examiner indicated that the severity of his left lower extremity radiculopathy was moderate.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hand Disability (Arthritis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome), Back Disability (Degenerative Disc Disease/Spondylosis of Thoracolumbar Spine), Left Knee Disability (Degenerative Joint Disease), Right Knee Disability (Degenerative Joint Disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 26, 2017
- Citation
- 1742616
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 1742616.
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.
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The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, to include degenerative joint disease, as the evidence did not support a finding that the condition had its onset in service or was otherwise related to his service.
- Granted
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- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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