The veteran's rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy was restored to 20 percent. The veteran is also granted a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) and left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve). The issue of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and lumbosacral strain is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the reduction in rating was not proper because it did not reflect sustained material improvement or improvement in the Veteran's ability to function.
- Claimed conditions
- right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25003405
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (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 A25003405.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. Additional development is needed for service connection of carpal tunnel syndrome, increased ratings for lower extremity radiculopathies, and obtaining a VA TERA opinion.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
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