The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic nerve, finding that the evidence supported a mild degree of incomplete paralysis.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a determination that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy was more than mild in severity, thus higher ratings were not warranted under DC 8520.
- Claimed conditions
- left lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2024
- Citation
- A24067034
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the low back condition and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but granted a 40% rating from August 4, 2016, to August 20, 2018, for the low back condition and a 40% rating from December 30, 2020, for left lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic nerve.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for a low back condition, earlier effective dates for ratings and TDIU, and separate grants of TDIU based on symptomatology associated with the low back and cervical spine conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for GERD and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a low back condition, but granted separate 10 percent ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic nerve from January 18, 2022.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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