The Board granted a 40 percent increased disability evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected radiculopathy of both sciatic nerves and a 50 percent increased disability evaluation for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, facet arthrosis L3-L4 through L5-S1, and neural foraminal stenosis, effective May 27, 2019.
The deciding factor: The evidence was in an approximate balance as to whether the manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral sciatic nerve radiculopathy most closely approximated 'moderate' or 'moderately severe' incomplete paralysis of the nerve during the period on appeal. Accordingly, resolving any doubt in favor of the Veteran, a 40 percent rating is warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve, Radiculopathy of the left sciatic nerve, Lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, facet arthrosis L3-L4 through L5-S1, and neural foraminal stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25025022
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 399 · Granted: 41% (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 A25025022.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve is granted, with an effective date of June 1, 2018.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of June 29, 2023 for the grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome and radiculopathy of the left sciatic nerve.
- Denied
The Board denied a disability rating greater than 20 percent for radiculopathy of the left sciatic nerve and femoral nerve, finding that the evidence did not support moderate or severe incomplete paralysis.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine and sciatic nerve disabilities, granted a 30 percent rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), and granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.
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