The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy, effective May 31, 2018, and awarded a total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) effective July 30, 2012.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran's sciatic nerve radiculopathy was characterized by severe incomplete paralysis with muscle atrophy and trophic changes, which warranted higher ratings under Diagnostic Code 8520.
- Claimed conditions
- right sciatic nerve radiculopathy, left sciatic nerve radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2025
- Citation
- 25014199
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (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 25014199.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the requirements for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 because he was not continuously rated totally disabled for a period of 10 or more years immediately preceding his death.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal of proposed reductions in ratings for his service-connected back disability and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left sciatic nerve radiculopathy is remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy were denied as the evidence did not warrant an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to January 27, 2006, for service connection of bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy were denied as there was no claim filed before that date.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to January 30, 2004, for service connection of bilateral sciatic nerve radiculopathy were denied as there was no claim filed before that date.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to September 29, 2021, for service connection of bilateral femoral nerve radiculopathy were denied as the conditions were not diagnosed or claimed until then.
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