Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy are in dispute, and a new VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to unclear employment status and the need for a VA examination to assess his ability to secure or follow gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lower extremity neurological disorder, including sciatica and radiculopathy, claimed as leg and groin pain, is not related to her service or any incident therein. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for his lumbar disability, effective July 2014.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disability or radiculopathy in the right foot that is related to service. The Veteran's current complaints do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was evaluated as 20 percent disabling prior to March 26, 2013 and from June 1, 2013. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,For the period of November 16, 2009 until March 26, 2013, the Veteran's lumbar radiculopathy was evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for lumbar strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to determine whether the service-connected disabilities alone are severe enough to warrant a TDIU. The case is REMANDED for further development, including obtaining an occupational evaluation and reviewing all relevant VA treatment records.

The Veteran's low back strain with degenerative changes was rated at 10 percent prior to March 24, 2008, and increased to 40 percent from September 21, 2010. The right-sided radiculopathy/sciatica was also rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's low back disability was granted a 20 percent rating, effective June 21, 2007. The left lower extremity sciatic nerve disability received a 40 percent rating, also effective June 21, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 18, 2004, for the grants of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence that he filed a timely substantive appeal with the October 1968 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar radiculopathy is not service-connected, and even if it were, it would be secondary to his service-connected back disability. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated as 40% disabling, effective June 13, 2014. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was granted a 20% rating effective June 8, 2016. No other claims were resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's right and left leg sciatica have been rated at 20 percent prior to April 23, 2014, and 60 percent after that date. The Board denied the claims for higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing updated VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his thoracolumbar strain was granted, and he is now rated at 20 percent. Since September 15, 2013, the Veteran has been awarded an additional 10 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with his service-connected thoracolumbar strain.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the Veteran's ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to her service-connected disabilities. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and arranging for a medical examination. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated again after all requested actions have been completed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in permanent and total disability due to loss or use of both lower extremities, blindness in both eyes with only light perception plus the anatomical loss or use of one lower extremity, or other conditions that preclude locomotion without aids. Therefore, his claim for specially adaptive housing has been denied.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent, effective December 17, 2015. The ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy remain unchanged.