The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar spine DDD was denied. Effective February 15, 2013, the Veteran received service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy with effective dates of that same date. The Veteran's TDIU claim from August 27, 2012, was granted.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating for lumbar spine DDD or initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 11, 2022
- Citation
- 22057094
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 22057094.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the now service-connected lumbar spine condition. The decision is based on a finding of relative equipoise in the evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve are granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand two issues: the claim for service connection for arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and the issue of a higher rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve. The reasons are that there were duty-to-assist errors prior to the March 2025 rating decision on appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, including as aggravated by service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD).
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