Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, claimed as nerve damage; entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, claimed as nerve damage, and entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical discectomy.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of her service-connected disabilities on her ability to work.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of any unadjudicated formal or informal claim prior to July 5, 2007.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea. The issues of an increased rating for lumbar strain and sciatic nerve radiculopathy, as well as TDIU, are pending.

The Veteran is entitled to an initial disability rating of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities as of January 22, 2012, and prior to April 30, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his lumbar spine degenerative joint disease was granted, with the effective date set at October 1, 2013.,Effective April 1, 2004, service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with his lumbar spine degenerative joint disease was established.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for sciatic nerve dysfunction of the left and right lower extremities, as well as his low back disability, have been withdrawn. The Board has no further jurisdiction to consider these matters.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine DDD was denied. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy, secondary to service-connected lumbar spine DDD, was also denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 2, 2012 for the award of a separate 10 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied.

The Veteran's arthritis of the spine is service-connected, and his lower extremity radiculopathy is secondary to this condition.,Service connection for a right knee disability was denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a fracture of the left little finger, and the current disability requirement was not met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and back disability are not related to service, and as such, denied his claims for service connection. The secondary service connection claim for depression is moot due to lack of established service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lower back disability, which may be associated with service. The Veteran is requested to undergo a VA examination for this purpose.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lower back disability, including lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, is related to her military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was found to be productive of no more than moderate incomplete paralysis, warranting a 20% disability rating. The claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence. The issues include a claim for an increased rating for sciatica, right lower extremity, and a secondary service connection claim for a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to recent worsening of his lumbar spine and right lower extremity conditions, requiring new VA examinations. The TDIU issue is also inextricably intertwined with the rating issues.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal.