The Veteran's sciatica of the left and right lower extremities were rated at 10 percent prior to November 14, 2014. From that date forward, they have been rated at 20 percent. The appeal is remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show a factually ascertainable increase in the one-year period prior to November 14, 2014, which would more nearly approximate moderate incomplete paralysis of either lower extremity.
- Claimed conditions
- Sciatica of the Left Lower Extremity, Sciatica of the Right Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20003675
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,680 · Granted: 24% (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 20003675.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine and Sciatica of the Left Lower Extremity, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's specific phobia, situational tight spaces, is not productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The right thumb arthritis does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and lumbar spine disability, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 26, 2018. The Board granted TDIU for this period.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of chronic fatigue. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30% rating for posttraumatic headaches was denied as there is no evidence showing entitlement to such prior to February 9, 2016. Service connection for sciatica of the right lower extremity on secondary basis to his service-connected lumbar spine disability was granted. However, service connection for sciatica of the left lower extremity was not granted due to lack of current diagnosis.
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