Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his service-connected right arm radiculopathy and whether separate ratings may be warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining outstanding records and a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his in-service motorcycle accident and coccyx injury.

The Veteran's left lower extremity neurological disorder is rated at 20 percent from September 12, 2011 to April 4, 2014 and at 40 percent thereafter. The combined effect of his service-connected disabilities does not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, lower extremity radiculopathy (secondary to his lumbar spine disability), and right lower extremity vascular condition have been granted. The Veteran also has a current diagnosis of hearing loss but does not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability under VA regulations.,The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic sinusitis was denied, as there is no evidence of a current sinusitis disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis are found to be related to a period of INACDUTRA during service, resulting in service connection.,Major depressive disorder is found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, leading to service connection for this condition.,Left leg numbness (sciatica) is found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, resulting in service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his back disability. The case will be returned to the Board after any additional development.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and associated incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve were granted an increased disability rating from 10% to 20%. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arthralgia of the lumbosacral spine, depressive disorder, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremity, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)/gastritis, combine to be 70 percent disabling. The Board finds that these conditions prevent the Veteran from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected degenerative disc disease and chronic left L5 radiculopathy.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability, chronic fatigue, joint pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms. The Veteran is not shown to have or have had visceral leishmaniasis. Joint pain and chronic fatigue are considered as manifestations of his service-connected hepatitis C.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain missing service treatment records and issue a Statement of the Case for depression and erectile dysfunction.

Effective September 9, 2010, the Veteran's radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities was granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected low back disability. The effective date is set at January 18, 2012.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for all issues related to hypertension, circulatory problems of the lower extremities, and radiculopathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as for updated medical records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate and whether there are any new or material pieces of evidence for his service connection claims. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for bilateral upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, finding no current diagnosis of this condition and concluding that service connection was not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The lumbar spine disability was rated as 20 percent disabling, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5243.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the ratings of generalized anxiety disorder with obsessive compulsive disorder and lower back disc herniation with left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's lumbar fibromyositis, external hemorrhoids, and chronic maxillary sinusitis have been rated appropriately. The issues of service connection for neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and for neuropathy and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities remain unresolved.