Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a bilateral foot condition have been dismissed due to withdrawal. The claim of service connection for tinnitus has not been met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to determine if he requires the regular assistance of another person in activities of daily living, protection from ordinary hazards, bedridden status, or restricted to home due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD claim is granted, and he is service-connected for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain and right lower extremity sciatica have not been found to warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination to assess her current level of disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a left leg disability, and the right thigh shrapnel wound residuals are rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly his back issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease and/or posttraumatic stress disorder, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for scar of the right anterior neck and residuals of a shell fragment injury, and ratings in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities associated with lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and initial evaluations for his service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the lower extremities was denied by the Board.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disabilities, finding that they are causally related to in-service motor vehicle accidents. The decision is based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination addressing his functional impairment and its impact on employment.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of lumbar surgery to include intervertebral disc syndrome and sciatic nerve paralysis have been rated at 20 percent since February 29, 2012. The appeal for a higher rating is denied as the evidence does not support an increase in disability ratings.

The Veteran's bilateral inguinal hernia was rated at 10% prior to May 1, 2014 and at 40% from May 1, 2014 through July 28, 2014. The Veteran's spondylolisthesis, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) were not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 17, 2013 for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy has been granted increased ratings of 40 percent each effective May 6, 2013. The conditions are rated based on their impact on motor function and sensory disturbances.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claimed conditions, including headaches, hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disorder, and umbilical hernia, are not related to his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to secure medical records, arrange for examinations, and consider whether new evidence supports reopening a psychiatric disorder claim.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations of hypertension and tension headaches, as well as service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, were denied. The Board found that his hypertension did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, and his tension headaches did not meet criteria for a 50 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations and medical opinions in connection with his claims.