The Veteran's bilateral lower extremities radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve and femoral nerve are granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spondylosis/degenerative disc disease.
The deciding factor: The July 2025 VA examination confirmed that the Veteran's current diagnoses, including bilateral lower extremities radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve and femoral nerve, were due to his service-connected lumbar spondylosis/degenerative disc disease.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, bilateral lower extremities radiculopathy of the femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2026
- Citation
- 26002174
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 26002174.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve was granted, and he is now receiving a 20 percent rating effective August 31, 2022. The earlier effective date for this grant has been established as January 30, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathies have been rated at 10 percent since February 9, 2023. The Board has determined that the VA examinations and evaluations are inadequate for adjudication purposes and remands the case to obtain a retrospective medical opinion from an appropriate clinician.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the spine, left shoulder impingement syndrome with degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity associated with intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and tinnitus, have caused him to need regular aid and attendance due to his limited mobility. The Board has granted SMC based on this need.
- Denied
The Veteran's radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve was found to not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent throughout the appeal period, as it did not meet the criteria for moderate incomplete paralysis.
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