Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was granted a disability rating of 40 percent beginning February 8, 2018. Prior to that date, the condition was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability with sciatica, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish secondary service connection due to his service-connected left great toe and foot disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a below-the-knee amputation and multiple joint issues, have resulted in the loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board has ordered further development to determine if these conditions meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation grant.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of major depressive disorder, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and low back disability have been denied as there is no indication that the Veteran wished to file a claim prior to September 7, 2012, June 26, 2012, or June 26, 2012 respectively.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of right and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied as the prior rating decision implicitly denied these conditions when granting a higher rating for his low back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions. The issues include hypertension, low back disability including osteoporosis and degenerative disc disease (DDD), coronary artery disease, and sciatica of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was denied. However, a separate rating of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity from June 29, 2017 onwards is granted.

The Veteran is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, including bipolar disorder and physical impairments.

Service connection for Lyme disease, GERD, bilateral plantar fasciitis with degenerative changes, left wrist CTS with cervical radiculopathy, and right wrist CTS is denied.,An initial compensable rating (10%) for GERD is denied. The Veteran's GERD has been well-managed with medication.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for GERD, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU due to insufficient evidence in some cases. The Veteran will need a VA examination for his GERD and possible additional diagnoses, as well as an examination to determine if he has bilateral lower extremity disorders or functional impairment related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted a 40 percent initial evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, effective from October 9, 2018. The criteria for this rating are met based on moderate incomplete paralysis of the nerve.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral upper and lower cervical radiculopathy as secondary to neck and back disabilities, respectively, should be remanded due to a duty to assist error in the February 2019 VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for a higher initial rating and effective date determinations due to the need to adjudicate the claim of entitlement to temporary total ratings based on surgical treatment of a service-connected lumbar spine disability requiring convalescence.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic lumbar spine disability with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for a chronic muscle spasm disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar degenerative joint and disc disease with residuals of lumbar fusion laminectomy, right lumbar radiculopathy, and left lumbar radiculopathy as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left shoulder condition, finding that it is not etiologically related to his service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a 20% rating effective August 27, 2019. His right and left lower extremity radiculopathy were also rated at 10% each from that date.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine radiculopathy, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service injury and that any current condition is more likely due to a workplace incident in 2003.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to his inability to demonstrate permanent and total disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left and right lower extremity neurological disabilities need further development due to incomplete medical records. The Veteran is asked to provide information about chiropractic treatment he received since filing his claim.