Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2021

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy were denied increased ratings. The effective date for the 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied, as was a prior effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's rehabilitation plan and vocational rehabilitation services need to be reviewed due to her request for a change in her long-term goal from obtaining an engineering degree to pursuing a medical doctorate. The discontinuance of her VR&E services was also challenged, and both issues are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for a left eye disability, finding that the Veteran's preexisting eye condition did not worsen during service and was not related to any in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability was also denied. The Board found no evidence of chronic low back symptoms in service, nor did they manifest within a presumptive period following separation from service. The Veteran's current diagnoses were noted more than a decade after his separation and do not show continuity of symptomatology since service.,The Board denied service connection for sciatic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, concluding that there was no evidence of chronic symptoms in service or within a presumptive period following separation from service. The Veteran's current diagnoses were noted more than a decade after his separation and do not show continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 30 percent for cervical spine disability and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, as well as his request for an earlier effective date. A separate rating of 40 percent was granted for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity since March 14, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and securing substantially gainful employment that is consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy effective September 30, 2014. The Veteran's other knee disability rating claims are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including back disorder, bilateral knee disorders, radiculopathy of upper and lower extremities, skin disorder, and jaw disorder. The appeal is being returned to obtain additional VA treatment records and to provide a medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of fractured lumbar spine and left leg radiculopathy, but denied service connection for a right hip disorder.

The Veteran is granted TDIU prior to December 19, 2016. The appeal for the period from December 19, 2016, to July 1, 2018, is dismissed as moot due to SMC at a rate under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s). TDIU on or after July 1, 2018, remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his thoracolumbar spine IVDS and bilateral lumbar radiculopathy was partially granted, with the effective date set at January 1, 2020. The Veteran is now rated at 40 percent for his thoracolumbar spine IVDS since that date.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the lack of documentation explaining the basis for the denial and what medical expenses are at issue. The AOJ must associate such documents with the file before the Board can make a decision on the merits.

The Board has remanded the TDIU issue due to a lack of an updated VA examination and incomplete employment information. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his recently granted back-related bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, are being evaluated for their impact on his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities not precluding him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neurological conditions, and whether they are related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to deficiencies in the VA examinations of record. The case is being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand two issues related to service connection for lower extremity radiculopathy as symptoms of service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The remand is due to inconsistencies in previous VA opinions and the need for a new examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of information regarding the Veteran's employment status, specifically missing forms for his application for increased compensation based on unemployability and requests for verification from his prior employers. The Veteran needs to complete these forms and provide the requested information.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and new evidence is needed. The issues include left shoulder, left knee, right knee, low back, and sciatica (left side) disorders.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was part of his initial increased rating claims for lumbar spine osteoarthritis, PTSD, and radiculopathy. The Board found that the TDIU issue was valid and granted it based on service-connected disabilities.