Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2018

The Veteran's right elbow/upper extremity disorder and cervical radiculopathy affecting the right upper extremity are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his military service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for OSA, bilateral hip trochanteric tendonitis, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The right knee disability case is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the right sciatic nerve radiculopathy rating is denied as there was no ascertainable increase prior to April 28, 2016.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The Board also granted a TDIU effective from August 25, 2013.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The left knee sprain, left Achilles heel spur, and left great ingrown toenail are each rated at the minimum compensable levels (10%). The left lower extremity sciatic nerve dysfunction and femoral nerve dysfunction remain rated at 20%.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on multiple knee and back conditions have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective September 26, 2003 due to his service-connected lumbar spine and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, bladder dysfunction, and left lower extremity radiculopathy were rated at 40 percent effective December 5, 2016. The Board granted a TDIU on that date due to the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hepatitis C is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for an examination to secure a fully adequate opinion.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, and his variously diagnosed psychiatric disability are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar strain is remanded due to the need for an examination to secure a fully adequate opinion.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes cavus and claw foot with hallux valgus of the great toe and first metatarsal hammertoes is remanded due to the need for an examination to secure a fully adequate opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right leg sciatica due to potential connections with his active duty service or service-connected disabilities, specifically pes planus, chondromalacia patella, and left ankle degenerative arthritis.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right leg sciatica due to potential connections with his active duty service or service-connected disabilities, specifically pes planus, chondromalacia patella, and left ankle degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's lumbosacral degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are granted as service-connected.,Service connection for a neck disability is remanded due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, consistent with his education and work experience.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to missing records and incomplete claims file. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right leg claim is also remanded for issuance of a Statement of the Case.

The Board has decided to remand several cases due to the receipt of additional medical evidence. The Veteran is required to provide information about all healthcare providers who have treated him for his disabilities, and VA will attempt to obtain these records.

The Veteran's back and neck disabilities have not met the criteria for higher disability ratings.,Specifically, his cervical radiculopathy of both upper extremities has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent since April 7, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are being remanded due to incomplete or outdated medical records.,The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine. The current 10 percent rating will be reviewed in light of recent VA examination findings and any additional evidence obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,His back disability was initially rated at 10 percent prior to July 29, 2014 and then granted a 20 percent rating effective from that date. The radiculopathy of his lower extremities has been rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation at a higher rate due to the need for aid and attendance and loss of use of both feet, resulting from service-connected disabilities.