Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the lumbar spine condition, but denied service connection for hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease and remanded claims for left sciatica radiculopathy, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board granted a total disability rating for individual unemployability on an extraschedular basis and an effective date of September 17, 2017, for DEA benefits.

The Board granted service connection for a back condition, to include intervertebral disc syndrome and disc protrusion, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy based on their relation to active service.

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for degenerative arthritis cervical spine, status-post anterior C6-7 microdiskectomy and fusion (excluding the period of temporary total convalescence rating) effective January 28, 2020.

The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right arm, a left knee disability, chronic sinusitis and irritable bowel syndrome pursuant to the PACT Act, and an increased 10 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis and lumbarization of S1, as well as service connection for right and/or left lower extremity radiculopathy, secondary to the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, lumbosacral strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy but denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date prior to November 7, 2002, for service-connected spondylolisthesis and left lower extremity sciatica.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for increased evaluations of cervical fusion C1-T1 and ORIF C1-C2 with mild multilevel degenerative disc disease, and left lower extremity, common, superficial and deep peroneal nerves to include tibial and posterior tibial nerves (previously rated as sciatic nerve damage, left lower extremity (with atrophy of the calf)).

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity as secondary to degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, bilateral spondylosis of the lumbar spine, and left and right shoulder trapezius muscle strain.

The Board granted service connection for a mood disorder due to known physiological condition with depressive features as secondary to squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, but denied an earlier effective date and increased rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy, and remanded claims for increased rating and service connection for knee disabilities.

The Board granted restoration of a 20% rating for the left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy from September 9, 2021, and increased ratings to 40% for both the left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy. The lumbar spine disability was denied an increased staged rating.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's sciatic radiculopathy of both lower extremities, as the evidence did not support moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment prior to June 14, 2022.

The Board remands the claims for a higher initial rating for cervical spine disability, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy to ensure that all relevant evidence is obtained.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his lumbar spine disability, which includes bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, effective January 1, 2017, and special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) for the same date.

The Board remands the issues of higher disability evaluations for lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome and associated radiculopathy, as well as entitlement to a TDIU prior to January 14, 2022, due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the effects of medication on the severity of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating higher than 40 percent for IVDS with arthritis of the lumbar spine and thoracic scoliosis, a rating higher than 20 percent for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and SMC at the housebound rate.