The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his lumbar spine disability, which includes bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, effective January 1, 2017, and special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) for the same date.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability with associated radiculopathy renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of January 1, 2017.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease (DDD) with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- 25008621
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 878 · Granted: 36% (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 25008621.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations on several service-connected conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, lumbar strain, bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and bilateral hip disability on the basis that these conditions are related to active duty service due to aggravation of preexisting disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability and bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not incurred or aggravated by her military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC higher than the (l) + (1/2) rate due to lack of anatomical loss or use of extremities, blindness, or permanent bedridden status.
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