Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder, lumbar radiculopathy, and left foot numbness. The appeal was also remanded to determine if prostate cancer had onset in service due to pesticide exposure.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including effective date determinations and evaluations for various disabilities. The Veteran is also being asked to provide new evidence in support of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathies are granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The appeal for a higher than 40 percent rating for the lumbar spine disability is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left hip, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and right knee strain. The conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for GERD was granted. The claims for the other conditions were remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left leg disorder, finding no evidence of a link between his active duty service and his current conditions. The Board also found that presumptive service connection under the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Act was not applicable to his case.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board cannot adjudicate the merits of his appeals as he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical records and will provide another evaluation for the Veteran's left lower extremity sciatica.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The claims for increased disability ratings are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and insufficient rationale provided by medical professionals. The issues include erectile dysfunction, left lower extremity radiculopathy and/or peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy and/or peripheral neuropathy, all potentially related to his service-connected conditions or medications.

The Board has dismissed all pending appeals due to the appellant's withdrawal of his claims.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted, and he is now entitled to service connection.,The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for urinary dysfunction have been denied. However, the Veteran was granted an extension of his temporary total disability rating for convalescence following surgery.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability with right lower extremity radiculopathy and for restless leg syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities did not have their onset during military service or were otherwise related to his service.

The Veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to service-connected disabilities resulting in loss of use of both lower extremities, which qualifies him for specially adapted housing.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his low back disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, which is required for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Veteran's left hip disability is granted, but her request for a higher rating for left sciatic neuritis and right hip strain are remanded. Her TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims have been remanded due to new evidence submitted, including a lay statement from another member of the National Guard who witnessed his in-service injury. The Board finds that this evidence relates the Veteran’s current lumbar spine disability to an in-service injury and requires further examination.

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

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease with right foraminal stenosis, is granted as service connected.,Right sciatica neuropathy is granted as secondary to the Veteran’s service-connected low back disability.,Migraine headaches are granted as service connected.