The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, but remanded the claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar spinal fusion with degenerative arthritis.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms align more closely with moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, warranting a 20 percent rating. The evidence does not persuasively show moderately severe incomplete paralysis at any time during the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, right hand carpal tunnel, left hand carpal tunnel, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25103711
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 195 · 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 A25103711.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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