Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board remands the appeal for further development, including verification of periods of service and obtaining additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted it for sleep apnea. The rating for the low back disability was increased to 40 percent effective October 7, 2022.

The appeal seeking readjudication of the previously denied claims for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and vertigo, as well as the requests for readjudication of the previously denied claims for a left shoulder disability, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), erectile dysfunction (ED), bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, bilateral eye pseudophakia, sinus disability, emphysema with left lung nodule, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), skin disability, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are dismissed. The request for readjudication of the previously denied claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted in part as it was fully resolved by a June 2025 rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral lower extremity nerve disability, as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity were granted a rating of 30%, 40%, and 30% respectively, effective March 7, 2018.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all claims, including those related to various disabilities and service connection.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for increased ratings and a TDIU, dismissed an earlier effective date claim for LLER, and denied SMC based on housebound status.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder was granted a 70 percent rating, while other service-connected conditions were denied higher ratings.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error regarding notice of the right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The Board granted an increased disability rating of 20 percent from October 1, 2018, to September 21, 2021, for the service-connected left lower extremity sciatica.

The Board granted a 20 percent initial disability rating for the back, LLE sciatic radiculopathy, and RLE sciatic radiculopathy from July 27, 2018, but denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board dismissed the appeals for initial disability ratings and effective dates related to various conditions, including lumbar spine, sciatic and femoral radiculopathy, and major depressive disorder. The decision also granted a 60 percent rating for left knee arthroplasty from January 1, 2016.

The Veteran's GERD (claimed as stomach condition), left lower leg sciatic nerve, and right lower leg sciatic nerve were granted increased ratings of 30 percent, 10 percent, and 10 percent respectively from February 19, 2018, to April 22, 2019.

The Board dismissed the appeals for severance of service connection and denied a higher rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied service connection for a neck condition, left arm radiculopathy, low back condition, left leg radiculopathy, and a right knee condition.

The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for various conditions was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election of review options.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. It also granted initial ratings for various disabilities including a 20 percent rating for lumbar degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, spondylosis, and spondylolisthesis, a 30 percent rating for labral tear, including superior labral anterior-posterior lesion, status post surgical repair, and higher ratings for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for fibromyalgia and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that these conditions are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability and lumbar spine disability, respectively.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's back and right shoulder disabilities, but restored a 40 percent rating for left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve effective February 5, 2024, and granted a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, prostatitis, kidney stones, and multiple other disabilities. The earlier effective date claim was also denied.