The Veteran's right leg quad tendon repair surgery is denied as service connection, and his non-initial rating for sciatica associated with lower back condition is also denied due to lack of a causal relationship between the current symptoms and service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s severe asymmetric sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy caused his bilateral abnormal tendon reflexes, sensory abnormalities, and weakness of all extremities, including right foot drop. The medical evidence does not support sciatica as a cause for these symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Right lower extremity sciatica, Asymmetric sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy of all extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20074873
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,592 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20074873.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for degenerative arthritis with lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica have been dismissed.,The Veteran's TDIU claim has been granted from September 16, 2011.,The Veteran's SMC based on housebound criteria has been granted effective from March 13, 2024.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted restoration of a separate 10 percent rating for residuals of a TBI, and restored the 10 percent disability evaluations for left and right lower extremity sciatica, as well as granting entitlement to a TDIU.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and effective dates of May 19, 2011, for right and left lower extremity sciatica.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for TBI residuals, headaches secondary to TBI, and sciatic conditions due to a need for additional development of the record.
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