Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2024

The Veteran's right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain and osteochondral injury, as well as lumbosacral strain with fusion, have been granted service connection.,Left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are also granted service connection based on their relationship to the service-connected low back disability. The unspecified depressive disorder is granted service connection due to its secondary nature to the Veteran's other disabilities.

The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular rating for right and left knee disabilities prior to the specified dates due to the adequacy of the assigned schedular ratings.,The Veteran's claim for SMC at the housebound rate was denied as he did not have a single service-connected disability rated at 100% or multiple disabilities independently rated at 60%, nor was he permanently housebound.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for post-traumatic brain injury headaches, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's headache disability is rated noncompensable prior to April 21, 2021, while a separate rating of 10 percent but no higher for right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted from August 18, 2022.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and left foot radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are proximately due to his service-connected right tibia stress fracture with knee impairment.

The Board has remanded three issues: a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar sprain with degenerative changes, service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that new evidence had not been submitted to reopen his tinnitus claim, but remanded other issues including depression, lower extremity radiculopathy, shoulder disabilities, knee disabilities, lumbar spine disability, neck disability, hip disabilities, irritable colon syndrome, and bladder disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathies have been granted initial ratings of 40 percent each, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to various conditions, and the Board has determined that additional evidence must be considered before a final decision can be made.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inconsistencies in the severity of the Veteran's symptoms and a need for additional examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to January 31, 2011, finding that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete compliance with prior remand directives and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and right leg cyst claims are being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disability, hypertension, pulmonary embolism, anemia, helicobacter pylori infection, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to secondary to PTSD. The other issues remain denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since August 19, 2008. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis starting from that date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims have been denied as there is no evidence of current disability for VA purposes.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity claims are remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted. The claims for increased ratings for other specified depressive disorder with anxious distress and insomnia disorder and migraine headaches are remanded, as well as the TDIU claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for erectile dysfunction. The claims are being returned for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and left hip disability were denied as they are not related to his active duty service.,Service connection for neurological symptoms of the left lower extremity, including neuropathy and radiculopathy, was also denied.

The Veteran's GERD was not rated higher than 10% prior to August 29, 2022 and in excess of 10% thereafter.,The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis with left foot arthritis and bilateral calcaneal spur was rated at 50% after February 22, 2020.

The claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for an adjustment disorder and PTSD is dismissed.,The claim for an effective date prior to May 25, 2016 for the award of a 70 percent rating for an adjustment disorder and PTSD is dismissed.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for RLE radiculopathy is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for alcohol dependence, secondary to service-connected major depressive disorder, is being remanded.,No effective date has been assigned as the issue of entitlement to service connection on a secondary basis is being addressed.