Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for left and right lower extremity sciatica, but has remanded the claims for bilateral plantar fasciitis and bilateral hip condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, combined, meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU effective June 27, 2014. The Board granted an earlier effective date of June 27, 2014 for her TDIU and DEA eligibility.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding effective dates and initial disability ratings for lumbar spine disability, right and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity, right upper extremity, left upper extremity, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented her from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment beginning September 4, 2020. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding that she is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of these service-connected conditions on and from September 4, 2020.

The appeal for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, sinusitis, and diabetes mellitus, type II have been granted. The Board also found that the effective dates of these grants are August 5, 2021.

The Board has dismissed all the Veteran's claims as his death occurred during the pendency of these appeals.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied as the evidence did not show symptoms of, or impairment due to, radiculopathy of greater severity than that consistent with mild incomplete paralysis of the nerve.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and GERD were both denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied as there is no evidence showing current diagnosed disability, and his lay statements regarding symptoms are outweighed by objective examination findings. Service connection for GERD was remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors involving untranslated Spanish language treatment records. These records may be relevant to the claims of EED in this appeal.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities associated with the sciatic nerve is rated at a 20 percent rating, effective August 22, 2019.,An earlier effective date for service connection prior to August 22, 2019, was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine arthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve disabilities render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as he failed to report for VA examinations related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.,The Board will consider all of the Veteran's current manifestations of his conditions during the entire period on appeal.

The Board remands the matters of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, as additional evidence is needed.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as they are considered to be a result of the Veteran's in-service back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for new medical opinions regarding his stroke, eye disorders, and peripheral nerve conditions. The hypertension claim is no longer part of this appeal.

The Board has remanded several service connection and rating issues due to the submission of additional evidence not previously considered by the AOJ.

The Veteran's initial ratings for service-connected left and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve are denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's low back disability with associated bilateral radiculopathy has been granted an effective date of May 1, 2011. The initial rating of the low back disability remains at 40 percent, and ratings for RLE and LLE radiculopathy remain denied.