The Board granted a 40 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, restored the 40 percent rating for lumbar spine disability, and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The reduction in the lumbar spine disability rating was improper as there was no improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work. The evidence supported higher ratings for radiculopathy involving the femoral nerve, but not for a higher rating for the sciatic nerve.
- Claimed conditions
- right lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve, lumbar spine disability (sciatic nerve), lumbar spine disability (femoral nerve), lumbar spine scars, total disability rating based on individual unemployability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25106516
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 719 · Granted: 54% (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 A25106516.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including allergic rhinitis, sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, lower extremity radiculopathies, and left lower extremity radiculopathy with foot drop. The issues include determining if these conditions are related to service or other factors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to a duty to assist error. A new examination is needed to evaluate the nature and severity of his symptoms.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his service-connected back disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, and hypertension was denied. The rating for IVDS with bilateral facet arthropathy thoracolumbar spondylosis is not met as the evidence did not show forward flexion to 60 degrees or less, combined range of motion of 120 degrees or less, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or spinal contour, or ankylosis (or its functional equivalent).,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right and left lower extremity radiculopathies were not met as the evidence did not show at least moderate incomplete paralysis of the femoral nerve or sciatic nerve. The rating for hypertension was also denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve are denied as the earliest evidence indicating these conditions is from August 21, 2020.
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