Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar spine disability warrants a 60 percent rating, reflecting severe symptoms including persistent S1 radiculopathy and marked limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine and low back disorders did not develop during service, and her arthritis of both shoulders is not related to service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the appellant's service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease/hiatal hernia and left pubic ramus fracture with left lumbar plexopathy/radiculopathy, both currently rated at 10 percent.

The case is being remanded for further development and evaluation of the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee and low back conditions. The RO will consider whether separate ratings are warranted for arthritis and neurological impairment due to the service-connected back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a cervical cord injury with myelopathy and radiculopathy, claimed as a broken neck, and for numbness of both hands as a result of herbicide exposure. The reasons given were that there was no evidence showing these conditions were related to service or due to herbicide exposure.

The veteran's cervical spine disability with left arm radiculopathy is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher rating of 60 percent is warranted. The right knee arthritis is not compensable under current criteria, while the left knee arthritis warrants an increased rating to 20 percent. Genital herpes does not warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected chronic lumbar strain warrants a disability rating of 40 percent, and his right leg radiculopathy with decreased strength involving plantar flexion of the right foot warrants a disability rating of 10 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence linking his current disabilities to service, and also denied a temporary total rating based on hospitalization. The cervical spine disability was presumed as within one year of separation from service.

The Board granted an initial compensable rating of 10 percent for service-connected chronic cervical spine strain with recurrent left-sided torticollis, and denied a higher disability rating for the service-connected chronic low back pain syndrome with recurrent left leg radiculopathy.

The veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is rated at 60 percent, and his dorsal spine disability is rated at 20 percent. The claims for increased ratings are granted.

The veteran's appeal of the initial ratings for his service-connected L4-L5 disc bulge with radiculopathy and arthritis of the thoracic spine from T9 to T12 is denied as he is already receiving the maximum disability rating available under Diagnostic Code 5293 and 5285, respectively.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the veteran's disability evaluation from 40 percent to 10 percent, effective December 1, 1999 was not in accordance with law and thus restored the original 40 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a disorder manifested by memory loss is not well-grounded. The issues of increased evaluations for left nephrectomy, lumbosacral strain with arthritis and sciatic neuralgia, bronchitis with history of pulmonary fibrosis, and left ear hearing loss have been denied.

The Board has granted increased disability ratings for the veteran's service-connected sciatic nerve injury and partial foot drop, as well as post traumatic degenerative arthritis of the left hip. The claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the left lower extremity is also granted. Service connection for secondary disabilities (chronic muscular strain and right hip) is granted.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 18, 1996 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected low back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a sciatic nerve disorder is not well grounded, and thus denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a home adaptation grant, finding that his loss of use of one lower extremity and related disabilities did not preclude locomotion without aid of braces, crutches, canes, or wheelchair.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the cervical spine and found that a higher rating is warranted for lumbosacral disc disease with sciatica. The effective date remains to be determined.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his cervical spine disability and for retroactive dependency compensation benefits, finding that he did not meet VA requirements for submitting certified copies of documents related to his marital status.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for bilateral hallux valgus and a back disorder were not well-grounded, as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.