Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, bilateral hip disability, lumbar spine disability, and lower extremity neurological disability due to potential service connection issues. The Veteran's in-service noise exposure and underwater diving experience are being considered.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and acquired psychiatric condition. The Veteran's IBS was not addressed as it did not meet the criteria.,Service connection could not be established because there is no evidence of a chronic disability present during or immediately following service.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Board finds that the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran has experienced relevant symptoms since the original date of his claim, March 28, 2013.,The Veteran's appeal includes claims seeking entitlement to disability ratings in excess of 20 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy. These matters are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is rated at 20 percent from December 19, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding her conditions.

The Veteran's claims for temporary total evaluations under 38 C.F.R. � 4.29 and 38 C.F.R. � 4.30 are denied as there is no evidence of hospitalization or surgery with convalescence due to a service-connected disability during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of right lower extremity sciatica as secondary to his service-connected back disability is granted, with the effective date set at June 30, 2009.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, impairment of the left tibia and fibula, and PTSD have been granted with specific disability ratings.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy and alcoholic neuropathy are rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of claim. The other issues have been addressed as per the decision.

The Board has remanded both issues due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder and nerve disabilities. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple physical conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to September 20, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, CFS, lumbar degenerative disc disease with spondylosis at L5-S1, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU due to inadequate medical opinions and outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's left knee disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted service connection. The left lower extremity radiculopathy has been granted a rating of 20 percent, effective from June 10, 2021.

The Veteran's LLE radiculopathy is rated at 20 percent, effective April 15, 2006. The Board also granted a TDIU from September 30, 1998, based on the combined effect of his service-connected PTSD and low back disability.

The Veteran is entitled to an effective date of May 3, 2013 for the assignment of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), as this was when he first met the schedular requirement.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions, including right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, neck disorder, hyperlipidemia, bilateral restless leg syndrome, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted.

The Veteran's initial ratings for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and increased ratings has been dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by their attorney.