The Veteran's service-connected lumbar disability and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities do not preclude her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 20, 2021.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show that the Veteran was precluded from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment due solely to her service-connected lumbar disability and radiculopathy disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar myofascial strain with IVDS, r radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, sciatic nerve, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, sciatic nerve, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, femoral nerve, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 29, 2023
- Citation
- 23068231
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 23068231.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome with spinal stenosis and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, sciatic nerve are being remanded due to outstanding medical records and inadequate prior VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity due to a duty to assist error regarding notification of the Veteran's right to a hearing.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, sciatic nerve but denied an initial compensable disability rating for right knee strain, limitation of extension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for additional development, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and a prison intake physical examination report.
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