The Board has restored the original ratings for radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve in both lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence of improvement to warrant a reduction.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disability did not show functional improvement to an extent that would justify reducing his ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19145952
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,890 · Granted: 32% (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 19145952.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve was granted, and he is now receiving a 20 percent rating effective August 31, 2022. The earlier effective date for this grant has been established as January 30, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathies have been rated at 10 percent since February 9, 2023. The Board has determined that the VA examinations and evaluations are inadequate for adjudication purposes and remands the case to obtain a retrospective medical opinion from an appropriate clinician.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the spine, left shoulder impingement syndrome with degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity associated with intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and tinnitus, have caused him to need regular aid and attendance due to his limited mobility. The Board has granted SMC based on this need.
- Denied
The Veteran's radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve was found to not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent throughout the appeal period, as it did not meet the criteria for moderate incomplete paralysis.
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