The veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for radiculopathy in both upper extremities was denied. The Board found that the veteran's condition is manifest by mild symptoms and does not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the veteran's symptoms are most analogous to mild incomplete paralysis, which corresponds to a 20 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- radiculopathy left upper extremity, radiculopathy right upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25000992
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 948 · Granted: 52% (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 A25000992.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative lumbar arthritis and injuries to his lower extremities, result in the loss of use of both lower extremities such that he is unable to effectively ambulate independently without assistive devices. This meets the criteria for specially adapted housing eligibility.
- Dismissed
The Board denied an increased rating for tinnitus and dismissed the appeals related to the proposed reductions in ratings for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, right shoulder bicipital tendonitis and rotator cuff tendonitis, and cervical spine.
- Denied
The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's knee, cervical spine, upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbosacral strain, and left ankle disabilities but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Denied
The Board denied entitlement to higher disability ratings for chronic sinusitis, low back disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy right upper extremity, and thoracolumbar spine scar. The Board also remanded service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities.
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