Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including deviated septum, chronic/allergic rhinitis, radiculopathy, PTSD, and a psychiatric disorder, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a current diagnosis or insufficient link between symptoms and service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of secondary service connection for left upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to a cervical spine condition with osteophytes.

The case is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathy, as well as his entitlement to TDIU. The issues are related and inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for back pain is being remanded.,The Veteran's request to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for right medial meniscectomy, posterior tear, is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, and chronic lumbar strain were denied. The claims for these conditions are based on their direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within the applicable presumptive period, and his current condition is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is currently rated as 10 percent disabling prior to August 7, 2018 and 40 percent disabling from that date. The Veteran's chronic lumbosacral strain syndrome with facet joint atrophy of L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 and degenerative disc disease of L5-S1 is currently rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board has determined that remand is necessary for the claims related to these conditions.

The Veteran is granted a 30 percent evaluation for his left upper extremity disability, effective from September 22, 2017. The previous rating of 20 percent was restored.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded several issues, including the rating of PTSD and the issue of sleep apnea secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for GERD, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and left upper extremity radiculopathy as they were not adequately addressed in previous evaluations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding private medical records and need for additional opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, but has remanded the remaining issues related to sleep apnea, sickle cell issues, bilateral blepharitis and early cataracts, dizziness, throat cyst removal, stroke, and head injury previously claimed as headaches.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left and right lumbar radiculopathy, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (vertigo), and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has granted service connection for right leg sciatica, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his military service.,Service connection was denied for sinusitis and depression. The denial of sinusitis is based on a lack of evidence showing chronicity after service, while the denial of depression is due to insufficient evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the severity of her service-connected lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has denied service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and ratings related to various disabilities have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's initial ratings for left leg sciatica and lumbar spondylosis were restored, while other conditions remained unchanged or denied.

The reductions in ratings for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral wrists and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity were improper due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran's conditions have not improved, warranting restoration of previous ratings.