The Board granted a temporary total evaluation for the service-connected lumbar spine disability requiring convalescence from July 20, 2018, to August 31, 2018. The Board also granted initial ratings of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities involving the sciatic nerve until certain dates, denied higher ratings, and granted a 50 percent rating for the lumbar spine disability starting September 1, 2018.

The deciding factor: The evidence was in equipoise as to whether the lumbar spine surgery required convalescence, and the radiculopathy of the lower extremities met criteria for 20 percent ratings until certain dates. The Board resolved reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

Claimed conditions

lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity involving the sciatic nerve, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity involving the sciatic nerve, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity involving the femoral nerve, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity involving the femoral nerve, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity involving the external cutaneous nerve, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity involving the ilio-inguinal nerve

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

December 4, 2025

Citation

25014561

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