The Board granted a disability rating of 20 percent for right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy from February 19, 2022, but denied higher ratings. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for the increased 40 percent rating for lumbar spine disability.

The deciding factor: The severity of the Veteran's symptoms was found to be moderate at the time of the increase in rating, and no evidence supported a finding of severe or moderately severe symptoms that would warrant higher ratings.

Claimed conditions

right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, lumbar spine disability (intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbosacral strain, spinal stenosis, and degenerative arthritis)

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 16, 2025

Citation

A25089168

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