The Veteran's service connection for bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy was granted at a 20% disability rating effective May 20, 2025. The Board denied an earlier effective date.
The deciding factor: The earliest effective date for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy is May 20, 2025, as this was when he filed his supplemental claim regarding the severity of his back condition.
- Claimed conditions
- sciatic nerve right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve left lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26000485
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26000485.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection with an effective date of July 23, 2020. The claim for a higher disability evaluation and TDIU is still pending.,An earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for sciatic nerve RLE radiculopathy is denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities effectively result in the loss of use of both lower extremities, precluding locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or a wheelchair. As such, he is eligible for specially adapted housing.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
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