Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2022

The Board has decided that additional development is necessary to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and determine his eligibility for a TDIU. The issues of rating the lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as determining whether he qualifies for a TDIU, are being remanded.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to determine the Veteran's eligibility for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation, and to clarify her service connection claim for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation of his conditions.

The appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, but the effective date remains to be determined by the AOJ.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and intervertebral disc disease of the lumbar spine with left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip trochanteric pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, lumbar spine DDD, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various joint disabilities associated with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome have been denied. The RO has granted additional service connection and assigned new ratings, but the Veteran is not entitled to higher ratings under current regulations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for sciatica of the left and right lower extremities, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence to support a diagnosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed. The Board found that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for a back disability, right arm disability, radiculopathy (right lower extremity), and radiculopathy (left lower extremity).

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the initial evaluations of his spine and radiculopathy conditions. The Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether his lumbar spine, left and right sciatic nerve disabilities, and right knee disability are related to service or caused by his service-connected left total knee replacement.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the femoral nerve from 20% to noncompensable, effective March 1, 2019, was proper based on VA examination findings. Restoration of a compensable rating is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient medical opinion regarding their relationship to service. The Veteran's lay statements are considered, but the gap in documented treatment is noted as potentially significant.

The Veteran's pending appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are still pending. The TDIU issue must be readjudicated after these appeals are resolved.

The Veteran's cervical strain and right upper extremity radiculopathy have been granted ratings of 20 percent for the entire period on appeal.,A compensable rating (20 percent) has been granted for right upper extremity radiculopathy from November 10, 2015 to October 2, 2016, and a higher rating (40 percent) thereafter.

The Veteran's GERD has been rated at 10% since March 2012. The Board granted a 30% rating for GERD effective from the date of the claim, November 2010, based on evidence showing considerable impairment due to persistent symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, as secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability. The case is being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation of the Veteran's low back disability and right foot disability. The VA examiners did not specifically address the Veteran's gait abnormalities, which are relevant to these issues.