Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion and requesting tax returns from the Veteran. The issues of service connection for herniated cervical disc, earlier effective date for lumbar spine w/ bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, neck, hearing loss, tinnitus and basal cell carcinoma scar, and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for lymphadenopathy. The Veteran's varicose veins are remanded due to the need for a medical opinion, and her cervical spine disability and related radiculopathies are also remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed as no adequate substantive appeal has been submitted.,The October 2012 rating decision denying service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities due to a lack of discussion on certain evidence in the previous decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as a low back disability. The Veteran is required to undergo additional examinations to determine the severity of his disabilities and their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for cervical strain and IVDS, right shoulder strain, migraines, and right ankle sprain were granted with effective dates of April 27, 2015.,However, the Board has determined that these effective dates are not appropriate due to various procedural issues.

The Veteran's rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,A separate 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity as of March 25, 2010, and a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity as of March 25, 2010, are proper.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities has been denied. The initial rating for the right lower extremity is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating, while the increased rating for the left lower extremity from March 27, 2014 to present meets the criteria.

The Veteran's scar on the head is granted service connection.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted, but no increased rating is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities due to insufficient evidence from a previous VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, and radiculopathy, prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational background and occupational experience. Therefore, entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining English translations of Spanish documents and arranging for VA medical opinions regarding his carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, and radiculopathy.

Service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy was restored. The Veteran's hemorrhoid condition is rated at 20 percent prior to October 1, 2012 and at 40 percent thereafter.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, including cervical stenosis with radiculopathy, and lumbar radiculopathy as secondary to the residuals of a compression fracture of the thoracic spine.,The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's current disabilities to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy from June 9, 2010 to June 28, 2017 is granted. The Veteran also receives TDIU effective June 9, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The issues of bilateral hearing loss disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded for further examination and analysis.