Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2020

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities were rated at 20 percent prior to September 27, 2018. Since then, a rating of 40 percent has been granted for the RLE, but no greater.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of both lower extremities, finding that additional development is needed due to inadequate VA examination opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to an error in determining the effective date for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The Court directed the Board to determine if the Veteran had radiculopathy of either lower extremity prior to April 11, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities make him unemployable, and the Board has granted a TDIU effective from March 23, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected lumbar condition and right leg radiculopathy are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. A new examination is required to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy is granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disorder. The evaluation for post laminectomy syndrome remains unchanged, with a 60 percent disability rating from October 15, 2010 to October 28, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right-knee orthopedic disability and neuropathy are remanded due to the need for clarification of symptoms attributed to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and new evidence of worsening symptoms.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a new VA examination due to the lack of recent medical records and to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate examinations in previous rating decisions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment from February 24, 2017. The Board finds the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU effective that date.

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

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for DJD of the thoracolumbar spine and right lower extremity radiculopathy were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions result in loss of use of both lower extremities, requiring her to rely on a walker or wheelchair for mobility. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing due to this condition.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral foot condition is dismissed.,Your claim of service connection for breathing condition, to include on a secondary basis, has been remanded. The Board needs further medical evaluation and opinion regarding your breathing condition.,Your claims of service connection for bilateral ankle condition have been remanded. The Board requires additional evidence or examination related to these conditions.,Your claims of service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy have been remanded. The Board needs further medical evaluation and opinion regarding these conditions.,The appeal of your claim of service connection for right and left hip conditions is denied as there is no competent evidence that you currently have such disabilities.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was granted at a 20 percent level from September 9, 2009 through March 12, 2017. The Veteran's LLE radiculopathy received an initial compensable (10%) rating from January 13, 2010 through March 12, 2017.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including cervical spine disability, radiculopathy pain, diabetes mellitus type II, and ankle disabilities. The Veteran is also required to provide additional medical records for consideration.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities of the sciatic nerve have been granted initial non-initial ratings of 40 percent, effective from May 12, 2018.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings in several areas, including cervical spine disability, acquired psychiatric disorders, lumbar spine disabilities, and radiculopathies of the upper and lower extremities are dismissed. The Veteran’s appeal for TDIU is also remanded.