Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2022

Service connection is denied for a low back disorder, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.,Service connection is granted for arthritis of the cervical spine. Service connection is denied for cervical strain.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for lipomas, hypertension, bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome, poor vision and color blindness, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to conflicting medical opinions and need for further evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's DM is currently rated at 20 percent, but a separate rating for urinary frequency associated with DM is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions and awarded effective dates of July 31, 2014. The decision is based on newly associated STRs that were not previously considered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates due to missing documents and procedural issues. The claims are related and must be readjudicated together.

The Veteran's combined rating for her service-connected disabilities is 60%, which meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, she does not meet the noneconomic component of a TDIU as she can still perform substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his back disability and bladder condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in a combined rating of 100 percent prior to November 13, 2017. However, the Board finds that his single disability rated at 100 percent does not render him unemployable due to these conditions alone.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting additional examinations. The Veteran seeks increased ratings for his service-connected TBI but the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve, and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the femoral nerve are all rated at 20 percent since November 12, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.,His initial rating for MDD remains denied, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher than 50 percent rating based on the severity of his symptoms.,Service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and right testicle injury were both denied. The evidence did not support these claims.,The Veteran's appeal was also remanded for further consideration regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cervical injury, and upper extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's claim for total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities for the period prior to March 28, 2017 is being remanded as there are insufficient records of functional impairment during that time.

The Veteran's thyroid disability, gout of the feet, IBS with hepatitis B, lumbosacral disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are all granted. However, several issues remain unresolved and need further review.

The Veteran's bilateral sciatic pain in feet is granted as secondary to his service-connected foot disabilities.,Service connection for dizziness was denied due to lack of a diagnosed condition.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been remanded for further development and rating consideration.

The Veteran's hypertension, back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are all found to be related to service. The appeal is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, warranting a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for low back disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied on a secondary basis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity were denied. The current rating of 40% for degenerative arthritis of the spine is maintained.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathies, as well as his bilateral sciatic nerve conditions. The issues are being remanded to clarify whether the Veteran's nerve conditions have resulted in paralysis of quadriceps extensor muscles.