The Veteran's sciatica, right lower extremity is now rated at 40 percent effective July 7, 2021. The low back strain with degenerative disc disease remains rated at 40 percent. The rating for sciatica prior to December 2, 2019 was denied.
The deciding factor: The July 2021 VA examination confirmed the Veteran's symptoms and provided evidence of moderately severe incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve from December 2, 2019 onwards, warranting a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain with degenerative disc disease, Sciatica, right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- November 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21070907
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 21070907.
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 has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to insufficient retrospective medical opinions addressing additional functional loss during flareups and with repeated use over time. The VA needs to obtain new addendum opinions for both cervical spine and low back disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with vertebral fracture, sciatica in both lower extremities, and left leg length discrepancy, but denied it for right leg length discrepancy.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to May 21, 2012. The Board found that the evidence did not support his claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's low back disability is being remanded for a new evaluation to determine its current severity.
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