Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her cervical spine and right upper extremity disability claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and left L5-S1 radiculopathy. The claim of service connection for a left knee disability is reopened but remains pending.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD L5-S1 is currently rated at 60 percent, effective August 30, 2013. His LLE radiculopathy of L5-S1 is no longer separately evaluated as it is now encompassed within the evaluation for his lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability and associated neurological abnormalities are currently rated at the minimum levels, with no higher ratings warranted based on current evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his lumbar strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current bilateral eye disorders and service, and denied service connection for these conditions. The Board also denied increased ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy as they did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his lumbar spondylosis and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for entitlement to a TDIU will be deferred.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and the preponderance of evidence is against his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus type II with nephropathy, have been linked to several of his current conditions. The Board has granted secondary service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in writing.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any low back disorder, to include left lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's service connection claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus was denied, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The claims for service connection for scars of the elbows and knees and recurrent neck pain were also denied.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 20 percent rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and intervertebral disc syndrome with sciatic nerve involvement, effective October 2, 2012. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, and denied his increased rating claims for lumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability. The Veteran was also denied TDIU.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was found to be mild prior to October 13, 2015, and no higher than moderately incomplete sensory deficit since then. The current rating of 20 percent is appropriate.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy, right lower extremity and service connection for residuals, PPD testing.

The Veteran's urinary incontinence is rated at 40 percent, and the Board has granted a higher rating of 60 percent based on his need to change absorbent materials more than four times per day due to urine leakage.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional treatment records and to schedule him for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected and non-service connected disabilities, including those related to a November 1981 motor vehicle accident. The claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain updated VA treatment records and SSA records.