Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims due to a failure to address a February 2014 deferred rating decision and potential VA treatment records from various facilities. The Veteran's service personnel records have been added, but further development is needed.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted service connection, and his right ankle degenerative joint disease and left ankle strain are granted a 20 percent rating. The initial evaluation for left knee degenerative joint disease remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for arthritis is dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issue of rating an initial higher than 10 percent for femoral radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to ongoing issues with his back disability, which may be related to these conditions. The specific evaluations for these conditions remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that he does not have a current disability and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 19, 2019. The case is being remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural errors in the initial review of his appeal.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities has been granted, with the exception of a compensable evaluation for laminectomy scar. The Veteran is now receiving an initial 40 percent rating for intervertebral disc syndrome post laminectomy syndrome effective July 12, 2016.,The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome post laminectomy syndrome has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since February 5, 2023. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date. However, the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right leg shortening and to a TDIU prior to February 5, 2023 are remanded.

Service connection is granted for post-traumatic osteoarthritis with degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity femoral and sciatic radiculopathy, left lower extremity femoral and sciatic radiculopathy, and a left ankle chronic/recurrent lateral collateral ligament sprain.,The Veteran's service connection claims for left knee disability are remanded due to incomplete service personnel records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating determinations have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal of these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of PTSD, lumbosacral strain with IVDS, and right lower extremity radiculopathy have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. A TDIU is granted, but the claim for an increased rating for his back disability must be remanded to obtain relevant VA treatment records.

The Board dismissed the appeals of proposed reductions in disability ratings for sciatic nerve radiculopathy and femoral nerve radiculopathy due to the lack of an appealable error.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a back disability, sciatic nerve disability of the RLE, neck disability, and IBS due to duty-related injuries during active duty service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder. The issues of service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded.

The Veteran's back disability and sciatica are granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disability is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for folliculitis is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are denied.,There is no indication that the Veteran has been diagnosed with radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and there is insufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship between his low back disability and these conditions.

Service connection is granted for migraine headaches and pes planus. The Veteran's sinusitis, anxiety, chest pains, neck disability, radiculopathy in the left upper extremity, and residuals of a head injury/ TBI are being remanded for further development.,The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the claims of service connection for sinusitis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety), chest pains, neck disability, radiculopathy in the left upper extremity, and residuals of a head injury/ TBI.

The Veteran's appeals for TDIU and higher ratings for left upper extremity radiculopathy and cervical spondylosis with intervertebral disc syndrome have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to a failure to properly notify the Veteran of scheduled VA examinations.