Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2015

The Board denied all service connection claims, including those for schizophrenia, anxiety and depression, hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a fractured left tibia, back condition, and sciatica of the left lower extremity. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia.

The Veteran's service-connected radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities has been evaluated as mild incomplete paralysis, warranting a 10 percent rating. The claims for higher ratings are denied.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's low back disability and increased ratings for radiculopathies of both lower extremities, effective from February 28, 2013. The decision also addressed whether higher ratings were warranted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain missing VA treatment records and for further development, including arranging for the Veteran to undergo additional examination if appropriate.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is not manifested by moderate incomplete paralysis, and therefore, the initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for both right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are denied.

The Veteran is entitled to an effective date of April 27, 2004 for the grant of a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from 1996 to 2006 and seeking an opinion regarding whether falls resulting from left leg weakness caused the Veteran's back disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining outstanding service treatment records and an addendum opinion concerning the nature and etiology of his neck disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for erectile dysfunction and cervical spine disorder, with secondary to a service-connected left wrist causalgia.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to her service-connected disabilities preventing her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is rated at 20 percent, as there are no issues regarding this condition.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left upper extremity is also rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling him for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his current low back disability and the severity of his service-connected residuals of gunshot wound.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for mechanical thoracolumbar muscle strain prior to September 23, 2013, and denied the remaining issues on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is rated at 20 percent prior to March 16, 2011 and at 40 percent thereafter.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, which she claims was caused by a 1991 hip injection. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the etiology of her current radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis was not related to her period of active service or service-connected disability. The issues of increased ratings and TDIU were also remanded.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a low back disability with pinched nerve and sciatica, which she contends was incurred in service and is aggravated by her service-connected right ankle periostitis. The Board has determined that the VA examination provided did not consider all relevant evidence and must be remanded to provide an updated opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including ischemic heart disease, PTSD, type II diabetes mellitus, low back disability, and others, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board finds the evidence in equipoise as to whether he is unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar pain syndrome, left ankle limited motion, and lower extremity radiculopathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, PTSD, anal fissure, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy, right ankle laxity, inguinal hernia repair residuals, left ear scar, groin scar, and erectile dysfunction, collectively preclude him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition.,The Veteran's right upper extremity radiculopathy is currently rated at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have left lower extremity radiculopathy or a left leg length discrepancy, or pelvic tilt. The claims for service connection are denied.