Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve is granted a 20 percent disability rating, effective March 28, 2021. The Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve also receives a 20 percent disability rating from that date.

The appeal of a proposed rating reduction for a lumbar disorder is dismissed, and the claim for service connection for dyslipidemia is denied. Several claims for service connection are remanded.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for increased initial ratings for sciatic radiculopathy and diabetic neuropathy in both lower extremities due to inadequate VA examinations that failed to consider the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, as well as bilateral knee disabilities, all secondary to a now service-connected back disability. The claims for left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to the service-connected back disability.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and increased the rating for residuals of right thumb cyst surgery to 20 percent, while denying a compensable disability rating for the surgical scar. The claims for back, left knee, and radiculopathy disabilities were remanded for further evaluation.

Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted.,The Veteran's left knee condition and right arm conditions (right elbow and right shoulder) are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grant of separate ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy were granted, with specific dates provided.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type I is granted a 60 percent evaluation from March 18, 2013 to February 1, 2019. Right and left lower extremity sciatica with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are each granted a 20 percent evaluation from April 5, 2022.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left lower extremity sciatic nerve and chronic lumbar strain as they were not fully developed due to outstanding treatment records and a missed VA examination. The Veteran is required to provide information for obtaining additional medical records, including those from Largo Medical Center.

The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU prior to April 3, 2014, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, requesting the hearing with the Board of Veterans' Appeals be withdrawn and closed. No further action is needed.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities involving the femoral nerve was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Similarly, the Veteran's radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities involving the sciatic nerve was also denied due to lack of evidence supporting a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's GERD, lumbar spine condition, tinnitus, and psychiatric disability are all granted service connection.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on their onset during active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back pain is at least as likely as not related to her service, and therefore grants her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral upper extremity and lower extremity diabetic neuropathy conditions are currently rated at the minimum level of disability, with no evidence of more severe symptoms warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the pending appeals.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, impacting her sciatic nerve, is currently evaluated at a 10 percent disability rating. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support higher ratings for either lower extremity.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to May 25, 2021 was granted. The appropriate effective date for service connection is September 16, 2015.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for his sciatic nerve, left lower extremity, associated with degenerative joint disease of lumber spine, was denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and lumbosacral degenerative disc disease was denied.,Effective from March 8, 2020, the Veteran received service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various nerve conditions, including a right shoulder condition and lower back disability. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these disabilities began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.