Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for cervical spine disability and right arm radiculopathy. The examiner is asked to provide an explanation on whether these conditions are related to service, including considering the Veteran's work during his military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease and increased ratings for left knee conditions due to new evidence. The total rating case is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 2, 2016. Therefore, the Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Retirement based on Unemployability (TDIU) prior to that date.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at a 40 percent since March 1, 2015.

The Veteran's left leg radiculopathy is rated at 40 percent effective July 20, 2008. The Board has also remanded the issues of a higher rating for his lumbar spine condition and TDIU.

The Veteran's right wrist carpal instability status-post reconstruction is granted as secondary to his service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy.,The Veteran’s scars over the right eye are not rated higher than 10 percent due to lack of characteristics of disfigurement and no painful or unstable scars.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the left and right upper extremities, and restored a 20 percent rating for sciatic nerve involvement of the lower extremities. The Veteran's claims were not based on presumptive exposure or new evidence.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted in October 2012, and he is now seeking an increased rating.,For his right knee patellofemoral syndrome (post-arthroscopic repair of meniscus tear), cervical spine degenerative spondylosis with disc protrusion, residual scar, right knee, radiculopathy in the left upper extremity, and radiculopathy in the right upper extremity, he is seeking increased ratings.

The Veteran's low back disability is now rated at 40 percent effective March 3, 2010. Other claims for increased ratings and service connection are also granted.

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

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and right lower extremity radiculopathy are rated at 40 percent and 20 percent, respectively. The combined rating is 70 percent, qualifying him for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for radiculopathy, low back disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to ongoing issues with his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar radiculopathy and remanded the issue of increased rating for lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his service connection claim for diabetes. The claims for loss of pancreas function secondary to diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected PTSD, back disability, and radiculopathy. The issues include increased ratings for PTSD and back disability, as well as the effective date for radiculopathy.

The Veteran's back disability and right lower leg sciatic radiculopathy have been rated, but the appeals for increased ratings are denied.

The Veteran's initial higher ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity entrapment of the lumbar nerve root were denied. The Veteran was granted a 20 percent rating through December 5, 2016, but not higher than 40 percent beginning December 6, 2016.

The Veteran's TDIU application is granted due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's asthma, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, migraines, and sciatica, as well as their relationship to service or service-connected conditions.