Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to clarify the Veteran's diagnoses and determine if his disabilities are related to service. The appeal will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee sprain with residual calf muscle sprain is granted a rating of 30 percent, effective from the date of this decision. Service connection for calcium deposit on the sciatic nerve as secondary to service-connected right hip strain with osteoarthritis is also granted.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy in both lower extremities are rated at 20% prior to specific dates, with some issues denied for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the cases due to deficiencies in obtaining VA medical records and additional community care facility records.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as she withdrew her appeals regarding the issues of CUE in rating decisions for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's shin splints claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.,For radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, initial ratings of 20 percent each were granted, effective October 17, 2023.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to errors in obtaining relevant private treatment records and a need for additional examination.

The Veteran's left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy as a complication of his service-connected back condition was granted an effective date of July 19, 2010.,Service connection for the painful scar of the lumbar spine was denied before December 5, 2017.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for higher ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and the Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board is remanding the claims for earlier effective dates and TDIU due to a failure by VA to properly consider the Veteran's request for a Higher-Level Review in August 2020, which was related to his previously denied TDIU claim. The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for service connection of lower extremity radiculopathy conditions and TDIU based on his combined disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy based on the April 2023 rating decision by the AOJ, which was binding on the Board.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions related to his back disability have been denied. The low back disability is rated at 40 percent, effective November 16, 2022.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was granted an initial 20 percent rating prior to January 4, 2021 and a rating in excess of 20 percent from that date.

The Board has determined that the AOJ failed to obtain all relevant medical records and conducted inadequate examinations for the Veteran's knee and ankle disabilities. The claims are being remanded to correct these procedural errors.

The Veteran's appeals for higher disability ratings for his neck and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy were denied. The VA determined that the current assigned ratings are appropriate based on the findings of fact provided.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome in both left and right hands have been withdrawn by the Veteran. The Board has dismissed these appeals.

The Veteran's increased ratings for lumbosacral spine strain and sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are denied as his disability picture does not warrant a higher rating under applicable criteria.

The Board has remanded the service connection claim for a left knee disability and the temporary total evaluation claim due to insufficient medical opinions in the file. The issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 100% since November 10, 2015. Bilateral sciatic nerve radiculopathy disabilities are each granted a 10% rating effective January 18, 2022.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 17, 2008 for the grant of a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The decision is subject to regulations governing payment of monetary awards.