Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities. The low back disability is remanded due to incomplete VA examination.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was rated at 20 percent, effective July 23, 2019.,The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy were each rated at 20 percent, effective July 23, 2019. The left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy was rated at 10 percent prior to January 21, 2020, and at 20 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions. Specifically, a VA examiner is needed to provide an opinion on whether there is a medical link between the Veteran’s current back condition and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded. The Veteran's claim for COPD is also being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent from June 1, 2016 for prostate cancer remains pending.

The Board has remanded several issues related to various disabilities, including uterine fibroids, right knee disability, scars of the right knee and abdomen, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, left breast scars, Kienbach's disease with arthritis of the right wrist, and Kienbach's disease with arthritis of the left wrist. The remand requires consideration of additional evidence and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings and effective dates for service-connected conditions have been denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities has also been denied.

The Board has granted a TDIU, and the claims for increased ratings have been denied. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim was withdrawn by his representative.

The Veteran was granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) beginning October 1, 2005. The appeal period began in June 2005 and the Veteran meets the schedular criteria for an award of TDIU during this entire period.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's right upper extremity radiculopathy and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy claims are being reviewed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for chronic low back strain is denied, while his claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical radiculopathy due to lack of full service records and an inadequate VA examination. The Veteran needs to provide his National Guard service records, and a VA examination is required to determine if his current condition is related to in-service events.

The Veteran's claims for lumbosacral strain, cervical degenerative disc disease status post fusion, right upper and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, and bilateral knee osteoarthritis have been granted with effective dates of April 9, 2018.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a TDIU is remanded due to the need for further development and consideration of whether he was unemployable prior to September 5, 2017.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus his TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, a back disability (including scoliosis), and a nerve disability (including sciatica) due to incomplete development of the record.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected sciatic nerve involvement, left lower extremity was denied as the evidence did not show symptoms consistent with moderately severe incomplete paralysis or worse.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right arm disorder and low back disorder with radiculopathy, but has remanded her claims for service connection for vestibular disorder (vertigo), right hip disorder, left knee disorder, and right ankle disorder.

The Board has granted the Veteran's TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate from December 14, 2018 to March 31, 2019. The effective date for these benefits is not specified in this decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hip disorder, diagnosed as lumbar radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spondylosis.