Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board denied requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of left knee disability, lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathies. The claims were not filed within one year after discharge from active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy of the upper extremity, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between her current condition and her military service.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn. The Board denied the Veteran's request for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy, and granted service connection for tinnitus.,The Veteran was diagnosed with blurred vision during service but no current visual impairment diagnosis has been established. His claim for service connection for blurred vision is denied.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The issue of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is remanded.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective January 1, 2008 on an extraschedular basis due to the Veteran's service-connected back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the lower extremities and status post hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy with scars are currently rated at their maximum allowable schedular ratings. The Board denied increased ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy has been granted increased ratings for his right and left upper extremity conditions, with the majority of the ratings being at the 30 percent level.

The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right upper, right lower, and left lower extremities with effective dates of December 10, 2004.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, while the ratings for residuals of a right ankle fracture and MDD were also denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for chronic lumbosacral strain was denied, but he received a separate compensable rating (10%) for sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity since October 2, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type 2, left lower extremity (LLE) peripheral neuropathy of the sciatic nerve, and right lower extremity (RLE) peripheral neuropathy of the sciatic nerve due to inadequate development regarding presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity is granted a 30 percent evaluation, but no higher. The issues of service connection for sleep apnea and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's increased ratings for lumbar fusion L4-L5 and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity have been denied.,For the lumbar spine, the criteria for a higher rating are not met as the flexion is greater than 30 degrees but not more than 60 degrees.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of bulging disc, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and hypertension due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of Social Security Administration records.

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

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a back disability. The Veteran's claim is now remanded for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathies are all granted. The evidence shows the Veteran's current disabilities are proximately due to his bilateral knee disabilities.