Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck and back disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature of his conditions and their relationship to service. The Veteran is required to undergo further medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of fracture of the lumbar vertebra, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was denied. The ratings for these conditions remain at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease with left upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current disability had its onset during his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for sciatica of the right lower extremity and lumbar strain, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical DDD with radiculopathy and scoliosis, right arm radiculopathy, and left arm radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, DDD of the lumbar spine, coronary artery disease, tinnitus, radiculopathy, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's right leg radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.,Prior to December 16, 2016, the Veteran's left leg radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) was rated at 10 percent. The Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.,Beginning December 16, 2016, the Veteran's left leg radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) is rated at 20 percent and the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's lower back disability, cervical spine disability, and upper extremity radiculopathy have been granted service connection. A 30 percent rating has been assigned for the cervical spine disability since November 9, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a demyelinating disorder due to insufficient information about its nature and etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board has ordered a remand to determine his employability.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding several disability ratings, effectively dismissing the cases.

The Veteran's claim has been reopened due to new and material evidence. The claims for service connection for hearing loss of the left ear, low back condition, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left leg radiculopathy, claimed as chronic low back pain, is denied. The Board found that the condition was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar strain.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for low back disability, left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy due to inadequate examination reports and conflicting findings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases due to insufficient evidence in his medical records, particularly regarding his left knee gout, right hip conditions, and chronic kidney disease.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a left knee disability, higher ratings for service-connected right knee and back disabilities, and a TDIU. The effective dates for separate initial ratings for service-connected right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is rated at 10 percent prior to August 19, 2019 and at 40 percent thereafter. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are each rated at 20 percent.,The criteria for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine prior to August 19, 2019 have not been met. The criteria for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine from August 19, 2019 have also not been met. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are each rated at their maximum allowable under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as the issue of earlier effective dates for service connection awards.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on regular need for aid and attendance is remanded due to the lack of adequate contemporaneous medical examinations. The Board finds that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current state of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform activities of daily living.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity has been rated at 10 percent since November 2014. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated treatment records and conduct a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.