The Veteran's radiculopathy of the femoral and sciatic nerves, as well as external popliteal nerve in both lower extremities, has been granted initial ratings of 20 percent effective September 28, 2016.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's radiculopathy falls within the criteria for a 20 percent rating under DCs 8520 and 8526, based on moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve and femoral nerve respectively.
- Claimed conditions
- Radiculopathy (femoral nerve), left lower extremity, Radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity, Radiculopathy (external popliteal nerve), left lower extremity, Radiculopathy (femoral nerve), right lower extremity, Radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity, Radiculopathy (external popliteal nerve), right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 7, 2018
- Citation
- 18124728
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 18124728.
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 rating of 20 percent for the left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for the right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's back disability and granted a 20 percent rating, but not higher, for radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity, and a 40 percent rating, but not higher, for radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity. Other claims were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease with muscle spasm and radiculopathy of the lower extremities due to incomplete examination results. The Veteran will need further medical evaluations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development to correct duty-to-assist errors in the prior rating decisions.
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