Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records, a new examination, and issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA peripheral nerve examination to determine if he has any neurological disorder of his bilateral upper and lower extremities related to service or his already service-connected lumbar spine and/or cervical spine disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for TDIU and basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for onychomycosis bilateral great toes was granted. However, his attempt to reopen his low back disability claim was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's lumbar disc disease and left leg radiculopathy have been granted service connection.,Left leg radiculopathy is found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar disc disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure of his hearing notice, and he has not appeared for the scheduled videoconference hearing.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, including as secondary to service-connected disabilities. This includes obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a new examination.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Sacred Heart Hospital Emerald Coast on September 10, 2012 were not for emergency treatment and VA facilities were feasibly available. Therefore, payment or reimbursement is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's low back disability and lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded for additional development as the August 2011 VA examination is not adequate to address his assertions of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for updated VA treatment records. The TDIU issue is inextricably intertwined with the lumbar spine claim.

The Veteran's cervical spine arthritis resulted in functional impairment comparable to forward flexion limited to 15 degrees or less on and after July 26, 2006. His left cervical radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent from May 10, 2012, to September 29, 2013, and at 30 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 60%, which does not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU. However, due to his employment history and education level, he may be unemployable as a result of his lumbar spine disability on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from finding and maintaining substantially gainful employment that is sedentary in nature.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability has been denied as there is no current evidence of such a condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The right upper extremity radiculopathy, left foot pes planus, and neck scar conditions are all rated at their maximum allowable levels.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a lumbar spine disability, which he claims was incurred during active duty. The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine if the injury occurred on inactive duty training (IDT) and whether it is related to his current condition.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for his radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities was denied as it is not factually ascertainable that he experienced a moderately severe level of disability prior to March 29, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine, sciatic nerve disease, and loss of sensation in the right leg are denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and lumbar disc herniation with sciatica, is proximately due to his service-connected bilateral iliotibial band syndrome of the knees.