Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and therefore denied their claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatica are rated at 10 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 8520. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for TDIU, SMC, and ratings in excess of 10 percent for lower extremity radiculopathy due to the Veteran's death before a decision was made.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and right knee strain are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development related to his skin disability and scar of the right foot.,His claim for a compensable rating for ankylosis, fibrous, partial of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the second toe, right foot, and his claim for service connection for a skin disability (to include fungal infection/tinea corporis) are also remanded.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability results in pain and limited forward flexion to at most 25 degrees. Service connection for left upper extremity radiculopathy is granted, effective April 13, 2012.,Service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy is also granted, but the effective date remains pending further adjudication due to a TDIU claim being raised.,The Veteran's TDIU claim has been remanded and will be adjudicated separately.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding informed consent and causation of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, TDIU, and SMC are also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion regarding her eligibility for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, or for adaptive equipment only. The matter will be reconsidered based on the results of this new examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his left knee degenerative arthritis, degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS at L4-S1, paralysis of the left sciatic nerve, and paralysis of the left femoral nerve are being remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew all appeals related to the issues of rating his left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee sprain, and left knee instability. As a result, these matters are dismissed.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, and the increased ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy are denied. The Veteran's other service-connected conditions have been assigned appropriate compensable disability ratings.

The Veteran's lumbar spine spondylosis with degenerative arthritis is granted service connection.,The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy are both granted secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine spondylosis with degenerative arthritis.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for upper right and left extremity peripheral neuropathy due to a lack of opinion regarding whether these conditions are related to diabetes mellitus or ischemic heart disease.

An initial 40 percent rating for low back disability is granted from January 11, 2014.,Separate 10 percent ratings are granted for RLE and LLE radiculopathy since January 24, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU as his service-connected disabilities have not rendered him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities is rated at 40 percent each since May 25, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral spine strain and degenerative disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee meniscectomy residuals, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee recurrent subluxation, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, tinnitus, and other conditions, make him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's low back arthritis is granted a 40 percent rating, right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is granted a 10 percent rating prior to December 15, 2015, and Meniere’s disease is granted a 30 percent rating from May 16, 2017. SMC based on housebound status is granted for the period January 1, 2016 to March 28, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for sciatica, subluxation of the ribs, bilateral elbow disability, bilateral wrist/hand disability, bilateral ankle disability, pelvic disorder, residuals of an abdominal muscle injury, varicose veins (bilateral lower extremity), dizzy spells, balance impairment with assistive device, and difficulty swallowing has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal of service connection for a bilateral hip disability secondary to cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disabilities is remanded.