The Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatica have been granted initial ratings of 40 percent each, effective from February 8, 2017 to May 15, 2025. Effective May 15, 2025, the Veteran is assigned an 80 percent rating for his left lower extremity sciatica.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatica resulted in moderately severe incomplete paralysis, warranting a 40 percent evaluation. From May 15, 2025, the condition manifested as complete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, which warranted an 80 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Lower Extremity Sciatica, Left Lower Extremity Sciatica
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 7, 2026
- Citation
- 26000168
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 26000168.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including heart disorder, GERD, liver disorder, and peripheral neuropathy. The decision also noted that the Veteran's sciatica was not incurred in service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was caused by heart failure, which the Board finds may be service-connected through secondary service connection due to obesity resulting from his service-connected PTSD and back disability. However, VA failed to obtain a medical opinion addressing whether obesity is a substantial factor in causing heart failure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma under the PACT Act but denied service connection for GERD, right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, and bilateral hearing loss.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Bell's Palsy, bilateral hearing loss, contact dermatitis, migraines, and right lower extremity sciatica due to a lack of new and relevant evidence.
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