Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance of another person is being remanded due to a lack of recent medical evidence addressing his current need for A&A. The case will be returned to the Board after obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's incomplete loss of sense of smell is directly caused by his service-connected nasal fracture, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disorder, lower extremity sciatica, cervical spine disorder, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's current disabilities are found to be related to his active duty service.

PTSD and TMJ ratings remain denied.,Residuals of musculotendinous tear, right calf, and bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis have initial disability ratings denied.,Effective dates for PTSD and TMJ service connection are also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experiences.

The Veteran's increased ratings for his lower extremity radiculopathy conditions were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms, which were generally described as numbness and pain in both legs.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including scoliosis of the lumbar spine and rheumatoid arthritis (implied by left lower extremity radiculopathy), render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, are not of such nature and/or severity as to prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of tinnitus or radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 5, 2006, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right sciatic nerve, bilateral hearing loss, and a scar of the right posterior thigh associated with a gunshot wound are denied. The claim for service connection for a right ankle sprain is also denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis is rated at 10 percent, but the issues for increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are both rated at 10 percent. The issues for increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran's headaches are currently rated at 10 percent. The issue for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's decreased vision in the left eye with optic neuritis is rated at 10 percent. The issue for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's status post meningo encephalitis is rated at 10 percent. The issue for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not service-connected and thus does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD, cervical radiculopathy, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, are considered to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from pneumonia.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his claims file.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and associated right lower extremity radiculopathy are productive of symptoms warranting at least a 20 percent rating since September 2, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is service-connected and his radiculopathy of the left lower extremity warrants a 20 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including a VA examination to determine if his lumbar spine disability and radiculitis/radiculopathy are related to service. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar post laminectomy syndrome and left lumbar radiculopathy was granted, with the highest possible rating of 40 percent. The claim for a higher initial rating for his status post hemicolectomy associated with lumbar post laminectomy syndrome remains pending.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 10 percent, and his right lower extremity radiculopathy is also rated at 10 percent. The effective date for these ratings remains pending as the decision does not specify a specific effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and other conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.