The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the increased rating claim for this condition has been denied.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was granted a 40 percent rating from April 25, 2013 to January 31, 2016. The claim for an increased rating during this period is denied.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy has been rated at 40 percent prior to September 27, 2016 and 20 percent from that date onwards. The claim for an increased rating during the latter period is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8520 (paralysis of the sciatic nerve) as the Veteran's symptoms have been consistently mild or at most moderately severe.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disability, Left Lower Extremity Radiculopathy (Secondary to Low Back Disability), Right Lower Extremity Radiculopathy (Secondary to Low Back Disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- August 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19161017
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 19161017.
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 Board denied the claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, a low back disability, a left knee disability, and a left shoulder disability as there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred in or caused by the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for sinusitis, bronchitis, liver abscess, abdominal aorta, left and right hamstring disabilities. The Board granted an increased disability rating of 40 percent for right upper extremity radiculopathy but denied all other claims.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD and remanded several service connection claims, including dyspnea, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, low back disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve.
- Dismissed
The appeal for an initial compensable rating for GERD was withdrawn, and the claims for service connection for a low back disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, and right knee disability were denied.
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