The Board granted disability ratings of 20 percent for each service-connected lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve from December 13, 2022, and remanded a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to January 4, 2024, and an excess of 40 percent thereafter, for degenerative disc disease (DDD), lumbar spine with bulging disc L5-S1 and intervertebral disc syndrome.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's radiculopathy was characterized by moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve prior to July 1, 2020, and moderately severe incomplete paralysis from July 1, 2020, which supported the assigned ratings.

Claimed conditions

Radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve of the right lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve of the left lower extremity

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

20%

Decision date

November 6, 2025

Citation

25013775

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