The Veteran's right leg lumbar radiculopathy is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has determined that the disability warrants a higher rating of 40 percent, but no higher.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found the Veteran’s sciatic nerve caused moderately severe incomplete paralysis, fitting within the criteria for a 40 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8520.
- Claimed conditions
- right leg lumbar radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19178835
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,456 · Granted: 23% (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 19178835.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial rating greater than 20 percent for lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease (DDD) prior to February 28, 2018, and greater than 40 percent thereafter, and for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for right leg lumbar radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left elbow, back, and right leg disabilities due to incomplete development of records and inadequate medical opinions. The claims are being returned for further action.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spondylosis, LLE sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and right leg lumbar radiculopathy are remanded for additional examinations to determine their current severity.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining clarification from the Hughston Clinic and Tuskegee VAMC records. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.
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