The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less, nor ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.,The Veteran's radiculopathy symptoms are currently mild and do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8526.,The Veteran's radiculopathy symptoms are currently mild and do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8526.,The Veteran's radiculopathy symptoms are currently moderate and do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8520.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, Left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), Right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), Left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), Right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- A19001701
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,480 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A19001701.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and effective dates was denied. The decision specifically addressed the issue of an increased rating for PTSD, which was found not to meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 20 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) due to inadequate examination findings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining VA treatment records and a need for an additional medical opinion regarding the effects of medications on the Veteran's service-connected back disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability was granted service connection on October 22, 2018.,Effective from October 22, 2018, the Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathies (sciatic nerve) were also granted secondary to his low back disability.,The effective dates for these conditions are all set at October 22, 2018.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.