Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle/leg disability and that any claimed right leg sciatica is unrelated to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA spine examination and updated treatment records. The issues of increased rating for low back disability and TDIU are intertwined.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is related to his National Guard service, and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability. The claim for both conditions is therefore granted.

The Board has remanded the case for a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy, and then to readjudicate the issue on appeal.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary to assess the current severity of the Veteran's cervical spine disability, as the previous examination did not fully satisfy the requirements set forth in Correia v. McDonald.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial ratings for various service-connected conditions has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a grant of increased disability ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective date of the award of service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy was set at June 22, 2006.

The Veteran's sciatic neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities was evaluated as moderate severity beginning November 3, 2015.,Higher initial disability ratings for the Veteran's service-connected sciatic neuropathy are not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy is manifested by moderate incomplete paralysis and does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the Veteran's degenerative disc and joint disease, finding that his disability picture did not warrant such a rating given the lack of marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, resulting in a combined disability rating of 80 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his Social Security records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected thoracolumbar strain with spondylosis and right lower extremity sciatica is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues on appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disorder and radiculopathy. The VA examiner did not address all relevant facts in this case, nor provide a reasoned medical explanation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.