Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for increased evaluations for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity involving the sciatic nerve, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity involving the femoral nerve. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was granted a 40 percent disability rating since March 23, 2009. Prior to that date, his condition was rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of a dependency allowance has been withdrawn. The appeal for service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, IVDS and strain is granted. Restoration of the 40 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy is granted.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy and back disability are rated at 40 percent, granting a higher rating than previously assigned. The Veteran is also granted entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil, traumatic arthritis, cervical spine, cervical radiculopathy, left upper extremity, and PTSD are all remanded for further examination and rating determinations.

The Board has granted an effective date for right lower extremity radiculopathy from July 31, 2014 and a rating of 40 percent for lumbar spine disability with spondylosis since November 16, 2017. The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is separately rated.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient development and lack of medical nexus opinions. The Veteran is required to provide more specific information about his in-service stressors, a VA examination must be provided for psychiatric disorders, and further examinations are needed for the lumbar spine, right knee, left foot numbness, bilateral hip pain, and bilateral lower extremity sciatica.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right lower extremity neurological disability other than radiculopathy is denied as there is no current evidence of such a condition. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and back scars are also denied.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and radiculopathy are found to be related to his in-service back injuries. The Board granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations regarding his lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for these conditions, but the current evidence does not provide sufficient information on the severity of his symptoms during flare-ups.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of both his right and left lower extremities, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment records. These records need to be reviewed by the AOJ before further decisions can be made.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess the functional impact of prolonged repetitive use and flare-ups on the Veteran's low back disability. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it involves the same time periods as the increase rating claim.

The Veteran's service connection for LLE radiculopathy was granted secondary to his service-connected low back disability. The effective date of this grant is set at May 18, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and low back disability, have rendered him unemployable as of September 5, 2013. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that his PTSD had worsened to a level warranting a 70% rating within one year prior to June 29, 2017.

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeals for a compensable rating for hallux valgus of the left foot and service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral upper extremities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an opinion regarding the etiology of any current back disability, including associated right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's claims for service connection remain pending.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted since July 13, 2007 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.