Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, depressive disorder, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and left foot plantar fasciitis, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment as of August 1, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development due to the Veteran's failure to appear for an examination, and to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as entitlement to a TDIU prior to April 23, 2019. The Veteran is required to undergo an examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected back disability and radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the condition is not related to service and does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right femoral, left femoral, right sciatic, and left sciatic nerves were granted effective from February 20, 2013.,The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left radial and right radial nerves were also granted effective from February 20, 2013.

The Board has denied service connection for dizzy spells and headaches, finding that the current symptoms are not related to the in-service episode of vasovagal syncope and closed head injury. The claims for sciatica with scoliosis of the lumbar spine, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and bilateral foot condition are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support finding that his current back condition began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury.,For PTSD, the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent prior to May 21, 2012 was denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of his PTSD symptoms did not more closely approximate total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spondylosis without radiculopathy due to inadequate examination and failure to comply with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for clarification regarding the Veteran's ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to July 8, 2020, based on his service-connected conditions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain medical records from the Veteran's correctional facility and request a VA medical opinion discussing the impact of his service-connected lumbar spine and right lower extremity radiculopathy disorders on his employability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with IVDS to include degenerative joint disease was denied a rating in excess of 40 percent from April 23, 2019 to October 28, 2019.,The Veteran's sciatica of the left lower extremity was denied a rating in excess of 20 percent from April 23, 2019 to October 28, 2019.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy are each rated at 20 percent, while his right and left lower extremity anterior crural nerve radiculopathy are also rated at 20 percent. The Veteran is denied a higher rating for these conditions.,The Veteran's myofascial back pain syndrome is currently rated at 40 percent.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at a 50 percent disability rating, and he is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's right lower extremity (RLE) sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and assigned separate ratings of 20 percent each for his left lower extremity (LLE) femoral nerve radiculopathy. The other issues were denied.

The Board denied service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), sinusitis, chronic urinary tract infections, hypertension, and a back disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.

The Veteran's left ear mastoiditis, cervical spine degenerative disc disease (cervical spine disability), right upper extremity radiculopathy, and tension headaches have been granted. The Veteran's service connection for right ear hearing loss and right upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to cervical spine disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU were denied, with the effective date of all grants being February 2, 2016.

The Veteran's heart murmur has not been found to warrant a higher rating, and the effective date for service connection is set at May 7, 2008.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy was established in December 2017 with an initial 10% rating. The effective date remains December 8, 2017.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability with associated bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy had onset during service and is related to his military service, granting service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lumbar radiculopathy. The decision also notes that the issue of service connection for a left hip disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for right lower extremity radiculopathy and TDIU due to insufficient evidence from a previous VA examination, which is more than five years old. A new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's condition.