Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than December 10, 2014, for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was denied. The Veteran also had his initial rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity increased to 20 percent and a TDIU granted.

The Veteran's right foot disability is rated at 40 percent since March 30, 2008.,Higher initial ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and back and wrist disabilities are denied.,SMC based on loss of use of the left lower extremity and need of regular aid and attendance of another person is denied.

The Veteran's radiculopathy in the left lower extremity was granted a rating of 20 percent prior to March 6, 2018.,A higher rating for the condition beginning March 6, 2018 is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding four specific conditions, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a back disability and left leg radiculopathy, but has remanded them due to additional development being required. The rating of the Veteran's left shoulder disability remains pending.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cervical spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and cervicogenic headaches. The Veteran will be provided with additional examinations to assess the severity of his conditions and determine their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left lower extremity sciatica and piriformis syndrome of the left hip have been denied. The Board found that a disability rating in excess of 20 percent is not warranted for the left lower extremity sciatica, but granted a separate 10 percent rating for the piriformis syndrome.

The Veteran's back condition and radiculopathy of the lower extremities are not rated higher than their current levels, with some issues remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for neck strain and low back disability, finding that the current diagnoses are related to service. The issues of CUE in a December 1980 decision denying service connection for ruptured muscle, right groin, and service connection for hypertension have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, including scoliosis and degenerative disc disease, as well as radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities. The VA examinations provided were inadequate, and additional development is needed to address these issues.

The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings and service connection has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted at a 40 percent disability rating effective November 18, 2016. Ratings in excess of these ratings prior to that date are denied.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted a 50% rating for the period prior to April 12, 2019. For the entire appeal period, his right and left knee osteoarthritis are each granted separate 10% ratings for instability. The Veteran’s left upper extremity radiculopathy is not rated higher than 30%. No rating in excess of 50% for depressive disorder or any other condition is granted.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is currently rated at 20 percent since January 31, 2016. The Veteran's cervical radiculopathy has not been found to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal of the effective dates assigned for separate ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied as there is no evidence of radiculopathy prior to June 20, 2016.,The Veteran's appeals of the initial rating assigned for his service-connected left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to lack of sufficient medical evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to missing medical records related to the Veteran's lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional medical opinions regarding his lumbar spine and left lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a determination on the issue of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his cervical radiculopathy and migraines.