Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service-connected L5 radiculopathy with left foot drop causes a skin disability causing recurrent sores and infections of the left ankle.,Right knee osteoarthritis is caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's L5 radiculopathy with left foot drop.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, TDIU, and service connection were denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected back condition and radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the appeal due to issues involving a higher rating for lumbar degenerative joint disease and entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's lumbar disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, but there are no indications of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have consistently precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since February 2000, with the exception of a brief period in June 2010 to May 2012 when he was employed.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar radiculopathy of the left leg has been rated at 20 percent since July 15, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case for another VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and its relationship to his service-connected residuals of post-surgery nonunion scaphoid bone fracture.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is being remanded for additional development as the current evidence does not sufficiently address his service connection claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not causally or etiologically related to service, including any injury or event therein.

The Veteran's neck disorder and low back disability are being remanded for additional development to determine their etiology, severity, and impact on employment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete VA treatment records and a need to ascertain the current severity of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability, right and left lower extremity sciatic syndrome have not been found to warrant a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was denied in the December 2009 Board decision. The new and material evidence submitted since that time relates to a possible secondary relationship between cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy and chest pain during service, which could potentially relate to coronary artery disease.,The Veteran's claim for reopening of his cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy was reopened based on the submission of new evidence suggesting a potential secondary relationship.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back disability and lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy was granted, with a 10 percent evaluation effective March 16, 2005.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right leg radiculopathy, at least in part, is etiologically related to his service-connected sacroiliitis and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy has been granted an initial 20 percent rating, effective June 1, 2012.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and consideration of other issues raised by a Joint Motion.