The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve prior to May 24, 2016; denied a rating in excess of 20 percent from May 24, 2016, to April 17, 2018, and granted a 40 percent rating as of April 17, 2018. For the lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease, the Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent prior to October 27, 2015; denied a rating in excess of 40 percent from October 27, 2015, to May 24, 2016, and granted a 40 percent rating from May 24, 2016, to November 26, 2018. The Board also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities as of July 15, 2015.

The deciding factor: The decision was based on the severity and impact of the Veteran's symptoms on his daily functioning, including pain, limited motion, and functional loss during flare-ups.

Claimed conditions

Right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, Left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, Lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 30, 2025

Citation

A25094380

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine