Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his employment as a farmer.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted as service connected. The Veteran's lumbosacral myositis with radiculopathy is rated at 40 percent since July 8, 1998.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a lack of communication with the Veteran's representative.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and multiple knee replacements, render him unemployable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his service-connected cold injury of the left foot and any right leg condition. The issues on appeal are whether he should receive an increased rating for his service-connected cold injury of the left foot, and whether he should be granted service connection for his claimed right leg condition.

The Veteran's current bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy is related to a service-connected disability, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain was granted a disability rating of 20 percent, effective as of December 10, 2008. His right leg radiculopathy continues to be rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (lumbar degenerative disc disease, depression, left hip bursitis, and radiculopathy of the lower extremities) preclude her from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with her education and work experience.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 20 percent, while the right lower extremity radiculopathy remains at 10 percent.

The VA determined that the Veteran's sacroiliac strain with acute sciatica does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating than currently assigned (40 percent). The RO found no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis, incapacitating episodes, chronic neurological pathologies such as bowel or bladder impairment, or other conditions warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar spasms of the erector spinal muscles was granted, effective November 30, 2004. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including proper VCAA notice and readjudication of both issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Appellant's lumbar disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus and sciatica to allow for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder with bilateral radiculopathy of the lower extremities is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremities was granted, with a rating of 40 percent for each condition. The claim for an increased rating for lumbar disc herniation remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a lumbosacral strain and cervical strain have been rated at 40 percent each since September 10, 2002. The Board found that the current evaluations are appropriate based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable from performing all forms of substantially gainful employment that are consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his left shoulder disability, as there was no limitation of motion to 25 degrees from the side.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar radiculopathy is granted and he is assigned a 20 percent rating for his residuals of compression fracture of the lumbar spine.