Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has remanded the TDIU issue due to a lack of an updated VA examination and incomplete employment information. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his recently granted back-related bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, are being evaluated for their impact on his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities not precluding him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neurological conditions, and whether they are related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to deficiencies in the VA examinations of record. The case is being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand two issues related to service connection for lower extremity radiculopathy as symptoms of service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The remand is due to inconsistencies in previous VA opinions and the need for a new examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of information regarding the Veteran's employment status, specifically missing forms for his application for increased compensation based on unemployability and requests for verification from his prior employers. The Veteran needs to complete these forms and provide the requested information.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and new evidence is needed. The issues include left shoulder, left knee, right knee, low back, and sciatica (left side) disorders.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was part of his initial increased rating claims for lumbar spine osteoarthritis, PTSD, and radiculopathy. The Board found that the TDIU issue was valid and granted it based on service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's sciatic nerve paralysis of the bilateral lower extremities is being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, disability ratings, and TDIU claim due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The issues include obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar stenosis, right knee sciatic radulopathy, left knee sciatic radulopathy, and TDIU prior to October 3, 2015.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathies are granted with a rating of 20 percent prior to December 21, 2018, and 40 percent thereafter. The right leg radiculopathy is rated at 20 percent from the onset, while left leg radiculopathy is rated at 10 percent since March 30, 2015.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for ratings in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine; right lower extremity radiculopathy; and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected TBI, depressive disorder, headaches, and tinnitus. Other service connection claims are either denied or remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his low back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and psychiatric disability have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn these appeals.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that it is related to her service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and he is now entitled to compensation for various conditions including low back pain, pes planus, ocular migraine headache disability, and lumbar spine disability with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The issues of increased ratings for tinnitus, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, extraschedular rating for bilateral hearing loss, and entitlement to a TDIU have also been resolved in his favor.

The Board has found that the Veteran has shown good cause for missing VA examinations related to his service connection claims. The Board has therefore ordered new VA examinations to determine if any of the claimed conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for schizoaffective disorder, headaches, and degenerative arthritis of the spine. Service connection was denied for right knee disability, left knee disability, hypertension, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine disability and associated radiculopathy of the right upper extremity are being remanded due to inadequate examinations in previous evaluations. The VA is required to obtain new examinations that comply with the requirements set forth by Correia, DeLuca, and Sharp.