The veteran was granted a 40% rating for three service-connected conditions effective October 1, 2015. The claim for total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) was denied, and the claim for residuals of service-connected scars was remanded.

The deciding factor: The Board resolved all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor by granting uniform 40 percent ratings throughout the appellate period for each of the lower back disorder, right lower extremity sciatica, and left lower extremity sciatica.

Claimed conditions

lumbosacral strain status-post laminectomy and discectomy at L5/S1 with mechanical back pain syndrome and degenerative arthritis, sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity associated with the lower back disorder, sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity associated with the lower back disorder

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

40%

Decision date

January 8, 2025

Citation

A25001866

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine