Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2022

The appeal for service connection for low back disability and sciatica of the left lower extremity is dismissed. The appeals for hyperlipidemia, idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, muscle atrophy, CIDP, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and diabetes mellitus are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and development needs.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and medical records to determine the current severity of his service-connected disabilities, including left shoulder strain, mild C5-C6 spondylosis, modern bilateral neural foraminal stenosis, L5-S1 herniated disc, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right foot plantar fasciitis, and left foot plantar fasciitis. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions regarding her left foot and ankle disabilities.

The Board has found that a new medical examination is required to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, as there is conflicting evidence regarding whether he has muscle atrophy in his legs. The matter is therefore being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from engaging in substantially gainful employment since March 14, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy and neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's symptoms have persisted since his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment throughout the entire period on appeal, and the Board finds that he is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to inadequate examinations, worsening of symptoms since the last examination, and need for additional medical opinions regarding right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claims for increased ratings can be adjudicated. The case must be remanded to obtain VA treatment records, SSA records, and a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and associated nerve disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, testicular hypofunction, neck disability, cervical radiculopathy, esophageal disability, back disability, bronchitis, emphysema, and COPD. The issues are related to whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by his time in service.

The Veteran's cervical spine posttraumatic arthritis, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy have been granted service connection. The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for a low back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU due to insufficient evidence in the May 2021 VA examination report. The Veteran's low back disability is being reviewed again to determine if functional ankylosis exists.

The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, finding that these conditions had their onset during active duty service.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability and sciatic radiculopathy of the lower extremities are rated at 10 percent prior to March 2, 2020, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter. The appeals for increased ratings are denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS and radiculopathy right lower extremity as secondary to his service-connected disability is being remanded due to inadequate examination findings. A new VA examination is needed to assess the severity of these conditions without considering the effects of medication.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions and procedural issues. A new secondary service connection opinion is needed based on accurate factual history, including consideration of all Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and higher ratings are remanded due to the need for VA examinations, consideration of new evidence, and readjudication.

The Board has dismissed all the issues related to the Veteran's hip conditions and radiculopathies due to his death prior to a decision being made.

A separate 20 percent disability rating is granted for left upper extremity radiculopathy, effective September 23, 2020.,The Veteran's cervical spine disorder remains at a 30 percent rating.