The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for lumbar spondylosis with multilevel disc bulge, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, and stenosis, status post-dislocation of the coccyx (back disability), and a 10 percent rating for sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity effective April 12, 2016.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed mild incomplete paralysis of the left sciatic nerve effective April 12, 2016, which supported the grant of a 10 percent rating for that condition. However, there was no sufficient evidence to support an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for the back disability or earlier effective dates for the ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis with multilevel disc bulge, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, stenosis, status post-dislocation of the coccyx (back disability), sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 22, 2024
- Citation
- 24033336
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,088 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 24033336.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors, including inadequate medical opinions and missed VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is being returned to the RO for further action.
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