Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2024

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and bladder condition are granted service connection, with the right lower extremity radiculopathy also receiving a higher rating. The Veteran's bladder condition is rated at 40 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing service treatment records and unattempted private medical record requests.

The Board has reopened the claims for PTSD, left leg radiculopathy, and right leg radiculopathy. The claim of service connection for PTSD is granted. The issues of service connection for left leg radiculopathy and right leg radiculopathy are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his inability to use assistive devices and his functional limitations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back disability, left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, and left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's past-due benefits for increased ratings of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), were awarded in a March 2023 rating decision. The appellant is eligible to receive attorney fees based on the December 2020 power of attorney and fee agreement.

Your claim for service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy (claimed as neuralgia/neuritis) has been granted, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the September 2020 rating decision severing service connection for lumbosacral strain was not proper and has remanded both issues of whether the September 2020 rating decision was proper, as well as the issue of entitlement to service connection for sciatica of the left leg as secondary to lumbosacral strain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back and neck disabilities, bilateral pes planus, right shoulder disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity numbness, and left upper extremity numbness are related to service. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including anxiety and several musculoskeletal issues. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and various diabetic neuropathies, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU effective December 18, 2019.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for increased ratings and TDIU, leaving no issues for the Board to consider.

The Veteran's radiculopathy in both lower extremities is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, left knee disability, and LLE radiculopathy due to injuries sustained from a tornado during active duty. The decision is based on credible evidence of an in-service injury and current disabilities that are at least as likely as not related to the 1957 tornado.

The Veteran's claim for retroactive CRDP compensation benefits is remanded due to an error in the AOJ correspondence, which did not include a new Audit Error Worksheet for the period from September 1, 2001 to January 2004. The Veteran should contact DFAS to obtain this information and have his claim readjudicated.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatica nerve were denied as his disability level did not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's right knee and left knee disabilities have been granted service connection.,However, his bilateral hearing loss disability has not been established as a result of service.

The Veteran's increased rating for somatic symptom disorder, right hip strain, left hip strain, and status post L5-S1 discectomy (back disability) is granted. The ratings for radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve in both lower extremities are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left femoral nerve radiculopathies were not granted effective dates prior to July 13, 2020. Effective March 3, 2017, the Veteran was awarded a TDIU based on his combined disability rating of 100%.