Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service snoring and turbinate swelling. The other issues on appeal have been remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy with sciatic nerve involvement was granted a 20 percent disability rating effective March 1, 2011. The appeal is resolved in the Veteran's favor.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of her lumbar spine disability and provide etiology opinions regarding both direct and secondary service connection for her cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural issues, including a potential error in the duties of the Veterans Law Judge who conducted his September 2010 hearing. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's COPD, previously characterized as bronchitis, is rated at 10 percent prior to June 6, 2012 and increased to 30 percent thereafter. The sinusitis with allergic rhinitis is rated at 10 percent. The radiculopathy of the right lower extremity due to degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine is rated at 10 percent prior to June 6, 2012 and increased to 20 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for right and left upper extremity radiculopathies, as well as the claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability. The case is to be returned to the Board for further appellate consideration if otherwise in order.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for lumbar spine arthritis and granted it on the merits.,The Board has also granted service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for further development and consideration of his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including his depressive disorder, intervertebral disc syndrome, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and sciatica (claimed as right hip disability) due to pending claims and potential additional evidence.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability with radiculopathy has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to November 9, 2007, and from January 1, 2008, to July 28, 2008. From July 29, 2008, to March 14, 2010, the disability has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent. Since November 1, 2012, the disability has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Veteran's back disability was granted a 10 percent rating, and his right lower extremity radiculopathy received a separate 20 percent rating. The current effective date is October 23, 2012.

The Veteran was granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity and residuals of a fracture of the right great toe with degenerative joint disease, effective March 18, 2010. The rating assigned is 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral eye disability and denied entitlement to an increased evaluation for low back disability. The Veteran's current eye disability is not related to his military service, while the low back disability was found to be at least as likely as not incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's spouse does not meet the criteria for an aid and attendance allowance as her disabilities do not render her unable to care for her daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities did not manifest in service or within one year of service, and are not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities or sciatica of the lower extremities.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities did not manifest in service or within one year of service, and are not otherwise related to service.,After affording the benefit of the doubt, a current headache disability is related to service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar paravertebral myositis from October 31, 1994, and denied ratings higher than 10 percent for right leg S1 radiculopathy and left leg peripheral neuropathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, as well as voiding dysfunction. The issues were remanded to consider whether entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease was reasonably raised by the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability with radiculopathy is etiologically related to her active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.