Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent disability rating, and the effective date for service connection of radiculopathy in the left lower extremity (LLE) is set at June 16, 2012.

The Veteran's left leg disability, sciatic nerve damage with L4-L5 and L5-S1 radiculopathy and left foot drop, is rated at 60 percent disabling. The rating for hypertension remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The VA will need to gather more information and determine if the Veteran is entitled to these benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, MDD, lumbar spine disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy, have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since January 6, 2011. Additionally, his loss of use of both feet due to his service-connected conditions is also recognized.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to new evidence and changes in the Veteran's condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, left and right lower extremity femoral neuritis, and left and right lower extremity sciatic neuritis on the basis that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities. The compensable evaluation for a right knee scar is denied.

The Veteran's headaches were rated at 30 percent prior to October 30, 2019 and granted a 50 percent rating thereafter. The Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date for TDIU or DEA benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as new and relevant evidence was not received to support the claims. The Veteran is also denied a rating in excess of the current assigned ratings for various conditions.

For the period prior to May 18, 2018, the Veteran's TBI was rated at 40 percent and denied a higher rating.,Since May 18, 2018, the Veteran's TBI has been rated at 70 percent and denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine and sleep apnea conditions, are found to be causally related to his psychiatric disorder. Effective dates for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy have been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and a compensable rating for vertigo as a manifestation of TBI. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete development.,Specifically, the RO needs to address whether the Veteran currently has a hip disorder and if it is related to her service-connected back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to obtain updated VA records of treatment for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and left lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities since July 2017.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities was granted initial ratings of 20 percent each from October 31, 2013 to December 9, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied. Separate ratings were granted for bilateral lower extremity sciatic and femoral nerve impairments effective September 27, 2016.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding her in-service injuries and exposure. The VA will obtain missing service treatment records, including those from her reserve component time, and seek clarification on any reported exposure to pollution or toxins.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or earlier effective dates for RLE and LLE radiculopathy of the femoral nerve, as well as T-11 and T-12 compression fracture residuals with lumbar IVDS and degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's initial rating for a cervical spine disability is denied prior to May 24, 2019 and thereafter. A TDIU on a schedular basis from August 23, 2011 to February 20, 2015 is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of increased ratings for back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient examination findings. The Veteran will need to undergo further evaluations.