Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2018

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine discogenic disease L4-L5 with lumbar degenerative arthritis, left leg sciatic nerve disability, and right leg sciatic nerve disability are all granted as service connected.,An increased rating for the Veteran’s lumbar strain is denied.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and back disability are being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess their severity and functional effects. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine radiculopathy and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to military service or radiation exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for spondylolisthesis with arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and sciatic radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence of a causal nexus between his in-service injuries and his current back disorders.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn, and the claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lower spine with lumbosacral strain and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy have been rated at 10 percent, but no higher. The rating for the lower spine is denied as it does not meet criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for various service-connected conditions were denied. A 20% rating was granted for bladder dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are deemed insufficient to determine if he is unemployable. A new examination and updated VA treatment records are needed to assess the cumulative effect of his conditions on employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to July 8, 2015.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability and left leg sciatica were denied increased ratings. The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective January 5, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case to issue an SOC on whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability, including various conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for PTSD is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD and peripheral neuropathies, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated right-lower extremity and left-lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted initial evaluations of 20 percent each, effective from May 4, 2010.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural errors and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his character of discharge during his second period of service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, effective date claims, and TDIU claim due to incomplete development of records and need for further medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at a 40 percent rating for the entire appellate period, but his radiculopathy of the right lower extremity has been granted ratings of 20 percent prior to February 23, 2016 and 40 percent since then.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as he contends a TDIU should be granted prior to February 23, 2016.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for a left leg disorder, low back strain, sciatic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The remands are due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate reasons and bases for denying ratings in excess of 10 percent for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's reports of severe pain were not considered, and the use of a 2015 examination’s conclusion that the Veteran does not have a neuropathy but rather, a radiculopathy was not justified.