The Veteran's back disability and lower extremity radiculopathies have been rated based on their severity, with some separate ratings for specific nerves involved. The initial rating of 40% has been granted from October 14, 2020, to February 27, 2023, for the back disability and lower extremity radiculopathies.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's disabilities have been rated based on their severity as per Diagnostic Codes (DCs) in the Rating Schedule, with some separate ratings for specific nerves involved due to the complexity of his condition.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, spinal fusion, and spinal stenosis, right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve (DC 8520), left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve (DC 8520), right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the anterior crural (femoral) nerve (DC 8526), left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the anterior crural (femoral) nerve (DC 8526), right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the external popliteal (common peroneal) nerve (DC 8521), left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the external popliteal (common peroneal) nerve (DC 8521), right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) nerve (DC 8522), left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) nerve (DC 8522), right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the anterior tibial (deep peroneal) nerve (DC 8523), left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the anterior tibial (deep peroneal) nerve (DC 8523), right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh (DC 8529), left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh (DC 8529), right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the ilio-inguinal nerve (DC 8530), left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the ilio-inguinal nerve (DC 8530)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 12, 2024
- Citation
- 24002106
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 24002106.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis due to a clear and unmistakable error in a July 1981 rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, a higher rating for tinnitus, and service connection for various conditions, including knees and hips.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased rating for a lumbar disability due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and disc disease with IVDS, radiculopathy of the RUE, LUE, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, LLE, and RLE.
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