Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his claim for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted TDIU due to these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar disc disease with radiculopathy, finding that it had its onset during his combat service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 11, 2012, for service connection were denied.,An effective date of March 28, 2009, was granted for the grant of service connection for headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his combined rating of 60 percent. The case is being referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, left foot disability, right foot disability, PTSD, lumbar spine disability, and right knee disability were denied. The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of his bilateral foot disabilities was also denied.

The Veteran's representative raised the question of the collective effect of his service-connected disabilities in determining whether he is entitled to a TDIU. The case is being remanded for further examination and consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability due to further development and examination being necessary.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examinations due to the Veteran's statements suggesting a worsening of his conditions since the last VA examinations in August 2016. Updated treatment records and new examinations are needed.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed for the Veteran's lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss due to potential worsening of symptoms since his last VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, headaches, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathy of both lower extremities, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's attorney withdrew the appeals for his claims of increased ratings for irritable bowel syndrome, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylosis, and right lower extremity sciatic and sural nerve radiculopathy due to a favorable decision.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy and surgical scar, lumbar region is remanded. The Veteran has not yet filed a notice of disagreement with the reduction of her left lower extremity radiculopathy rating.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence regarding his ability to work given his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU due to his service-connected lumbar spondylosis and associated radiculopathy. The Veteran needs a VA examination to assess the current severity of his disabilities, including any flare-ups.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his thoracolumbar spine disorder is granted, with a current rating of 40 percent.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of right ankle, bilateral hip, and sciatic nerve disabilities. The claims will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board denied compensation for a low back condition, lumbar radiculopathy, or lumbar pain due to prostate surgery under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 because the evidence did not show that VA's care caused the Veteran's additional disability.

The Veteran's left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has denied a higher rating for this condition. The claims for service connection of bilateral knee disability and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to incomplete examination reports.

The Board has ordered a remand for an adequate, current VA examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The appeal is also remanded due to the failure to notify the Veteran of a scheduled VA examination.