Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2018

The Veteran is granted eligibility for financial assistance in purchasing one automobile and necessary adaptive equipment due to her service-connected disabilities affecting her lower extremities. She is also granted eligibility for specially adapted housing as she requires significant modifications to her home due to her service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a low back disability, tinnitus, throat cancer, and bladder cancer due to potential exposure to diesel fumes during service. The Veteran is scheduled for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including spondylosis, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and hypertension, have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment since August 20, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left foot plantar fasciitis and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) claim has also been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, cervical spine osteoarthritis, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his active duty service.,There is no evidence of any neck injury or diagnosis of cervical spine disability during service or for more than a decade after service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to various symptoms and disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and reopened the claim for bilateral knee disability. The rating for gastritis remains at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for sleep apnea, initial rating in excess of 40 percent for a low back disability, and initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. The TDIU issue is also remanded due to its interdependence with the other issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, including IVDS, DDD, and lumbosacral strain with neuropathy of the right sciatic nerve, has been reopened. The Board found that new evidence submitted since the last final denial supports reopening the claim but does not establish service connection.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination, including service connection for a left hip disability, rating of lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, GERD, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, PTSD, and left knee strain.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including radiculopathy of the lower extremities, PFB, skin conditions on the face and feet, hearing loss, tinnitus, shin splints, peripheral neuropathy, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine have been granted. The appeal regarding left knee condition, right knee condition, shin splints, and upper extremity peripheral neuropathies is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since December 31, 2008. The Board granted TDIU effective November 9, 2015.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition has worsened, causing pain, numbness, tingling and decreased grip strength in her bilateral upper extremities. The Board finds a remand is warranted for a new VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of her cervical spine disorder and the origin of her symptoms.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to outstanding treatment records and additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease, is presumed to have been incurred during service due to chronic symptoms of the condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for radiculopathy of her bilateral upper extremities and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. A new VA examination is required to evaluate the current severity of her radiculopathy, as well as an assessment of her employability.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability (neck disability), lumbar spine disability (back disability), and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy. The decision also noted that the Veteran's claims for temporary total convalescence ratings for his neck and back disabilities were not granted.,Service connection was denied as there is no evidence linking the current disabilities to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeals for left ear injury, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residual hemorrhoid surgical scars have been dismissed. The Board has granted service connection for skin cancer disability, PTSD, low back disability, and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy. Service connection for scalp scar is denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for lumbar degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, weakness of the quadriceps muscles, and abdominal weakness.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical records and opinions.