Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural errors and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his character of discharge during his second period of service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, effective date claims, and TDIU claim due to incomplete development of records and need for further medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at a 40 percent rating for the entire appellate period, but his radiculopathy of the right lower extremity has been granted ratings of 20 percent prior to February 23, 2016 and 40 percent since then.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as he contends a TDIU should be granted prior to February 23, 2016.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for a left leg disorder, low back strain, sciatic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. The remands are due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate reasons and bases for denying ratings in excess of 10 percent for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's reports of severe pain were not considered, and the use of a 2015 examination’s conclusion that the Veteran does not have a neuropathy but rather, a radiculopathy was not justified.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted his claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's lumbar, cervical spine, and radiculopathy conditions during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to her service-connected disabilities, including lumpectomy of the right breast, scar residuals, radiculopathy, headaches, and TMJ syndrome. The Board has determined that additional development is needed for these claims due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for right upper extremity radiculopathy and left hip orthopedic disorder. The initial compensable rating claim for a surgical scar of the anterior neck remains under review.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her lumbar spine and left foot disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent and his radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is rated at 10 percent. The combined rating is 30 percent. An evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the lumbar spine disability is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for lumbar spine disability and entitlement to a TDIU due to new evidence of worsening symptoms and lack of recent VA treatment records. The Veteran will need to undergo a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to worsening of his lumbar spine and lower extremity conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to March 31, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) have been remanded.,For the cervical spine DDD, the Board found that an extraschedular rating prior to January 10, 2017 is not warranted. A schedular rating in excess of 40 percent from January 10, 2017 for DDD of the cervical spine has also been denied.,For bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, a schedular rating in excess of 20 percent from January 10, 2017 has not been met.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, right hip disability, incontinence, sciatic nerve disability, and depression. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was denied as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during or were caused by service.

Service connection is denied for sleep apnea, stomach disability, hypertension, left hand disability, low back injury, left leg lumbar radiculopathy, right ankle injury residuals, left wrist degenerative arthritis, and left eye injury residuals.,A compensable rating is granted for scar, status post left wrist fusion.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent prior to April 21, 2017, and in excess of 40 percent from that date, for low back arthritis is denied. The claim for a 20 percent evaluation for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from July 17, 2012, is granted.