The Board remands the claims for higher initial disability ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic, femoral, and external cutaneous nerves to obtain a medical opinion regarding the ameliorative effects of prescribed medications on the Veteran's symptoms.
The deciding factor: A remand is necessary to determine the severity of the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy during the entire period on appeal, including any ameliorative effects of prescribed and over-the-counter medication(s).
- Claimed conditions
- left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the femoral nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the external cutaneous nerve of thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25033619
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, but denied earlier effective dates for the right and left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve, but other claims were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for a higher rating and TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support symptoms greater than moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for increased ratings for various radiculopathies in the lower extremities are remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.
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