Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PAD, due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, is granted.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted as the evidence shows it began during service and persists.,Service connection for a left wrist condition is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for tension headaches is denied.,Service connection for left side sciatic nerve damage is denied.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.

The Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, left hip bursitis, right hip bursitis, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the femoral nerve left lower extremity are all remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied.

New and material evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for service connection for right, upper extremity radiculopathy, left, upper extremity radiculopathy, sinusitis, hypertension, and sleep apnea (secondary to service-connected disabilities).,Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been rated at 20% prior to November 2, 2016. Since then, the rating for the lumbar spine disability has been denied, while the rating for the right lower extremity radiculopathy remains denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent prior to April 9, 2015 and remains at that level. From April 9, 2015 to July 20, 2015, the rating was increased to 40 percent. Since then, a higher rating has not been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for chronic lumbosacral strain. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran had these conditions, and his current symptoms were not severe enough to warrant higher ratings.

The claims for TDIU and an increased rating for major depressive disorder are being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence. Additional VA treatment records, including those from non-VA providers, need to be obtained.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, including for loss of energy and fatigue, memory loss, a cervical spine condition, back disability, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. The claims are being returned for additional development.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as his cervical spine disorder, are granted service connection due to their relationship with his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine. His right and left upper extremity disorders are denied on secondary basis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been granted. The effective dates are not specified as the appeals were remanded.,A claim for hypertension was also remanded, but no effective date is provided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to inadequate duty to assist determinations and a need for additional medical examination.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and reduction of disability ratings, as well as a special monthly compensation claim due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The claim for service connection of the avulsion fracture of the left acetabulum is granted. The Veteran also received compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for his left sciatic nerve injury resulting from a VA total hip replacement surgery in April 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease due to a lack of medical evidence showing such conditions are related to his back disability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder (secondary to posttraumatic arthritis of the right knee), hypertension, cepahlgia, cervicothoracic spine disorder, thoracic spine disorder (low back condition), bilateral hip condition, and left sciatic radicular pain have been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination regarding the Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and associated lumbar radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities has been reopened, and the appeal is granted. The case of a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for mild degenerative disc disease with mechanical low back pain and mild scoliosis is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities, including whether he is unemployable.

The Veteran's lost flexion of the left and right hips, as well as a back disability and left leg radiculopathy are rated at non-compensable levels. The Board has granted ratings for these conditions but finds that remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence.