Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and failure to schedule VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a left knee disorder other than radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran does not have these conditions due to service or within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral degenerative disease with radiculopathy and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) were denied. The Veteran was not granted a rating in excess of the current assigned ratings.

The Veteran's spinal stenosis with lumbar fusion is rated at 20 percent prior to August 21, 2014 and denied for higher ratings thereafter.,The Veteran's spinal stenosis with lumbar fusion is rated at 40 percent effective May 31, 2019 and denied for higher ratings.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with spinal stenosis with lumbar fusion is rated at 40 percent and denied for higher ratings.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with spinal stenosis with lumbar fusion is rated at 40 percent and denied for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is required.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to June 24, 2010 is being remanded for the VA Director of Compensation Service to consider if an extraschedular rating should be assigned.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of the 40 percent rating for lower left extremity radiculopathy is granted, effective September 4, 2018. The issue regarding an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lower right extremity radiculopathy from October 13, 2017 to June 27, 2018 is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy and left upper extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's initial rating for ischemic heart disease is granted at a 10 percent level. The Veteran's TBI with migraine headaches is also granted, but only at the noncompensable (zero percent) level. Other service-connected disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including evaluations for lumbar spine and right thumb conditions, a compensable evaluation for a right thumb disability, and service connection for gluten intolerance and bilateral knee disabilities. The remand requires additional examinations and opinions regarding these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous instructions and additional development is needed, including a retrospective medical opinion addressing the Veteran's service-connected disabilities' impact on his employability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and assessments.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower left extremity (sciatic nerve) associated with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is granted a 20 percent disability rating, effective from July 2019. The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine remains at a 20 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities due to new evidence received since the March 2018 Statement of the Case.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inadequate examinations in March 2018. The Veteran needs further VA examinations to assess his lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative disease and associated radiculopathies have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was initially rated at 10 percent prior to February 7, 2020. Beginning on that date, his disability rating for this condition was increased to 20 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted with an initial rating of 70 percent, effective January 31, 2018. The other conditions have not received a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete review of the record. The Veteran's low back disability and bilateral piriformis syndrome with sacroiliac dysfunction and sciatica are being reviewed again by a different examiner.