Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete medical evidence.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine condition, right and left sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia, and right and left hand conditions. The issues of initial disability ratings were remanded.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, granted an earlier effective date for a 10 percent rating of bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis, and remanded several claims including service connections for various disorders.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining additional evidence and medical opinions to address deficiencies in the prior medical opinions on the severity of the appellant's radiculopathy.

The Board granted an increased disability evaluation of 40 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but denied the claims for a higher rating for left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy and a compensable rating for residuals of a traumatic crush injury of the ring finger.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from February 11, 2019. He also received increased ratings for his radiculopathy in the right and left lower extremities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, type II (DM), hypertension, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, skin condition, left knee disability, right knee disability, sciatic nerve disability, sleep apnea, and back disability, as there is pre-decisional error in the case and a VA examination(s) and addendum opinions are required to cure the error.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions as they were premature, and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and a migraine headache disability.

The Board granted an effective date of January 17, 2017, for the grant of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including IBS, somatic symptom disorder, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and various radiculopathies and strains, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board granted service connection for multiple shoulder, knee, and hip disabilities as well as increased ratings for cervical spine DDD, upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbosacral strain, and tension headaches.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for hypertension and granted a 40 percent initial rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of radiculopathy in both lower extremities to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board remands the service connection claims for a cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy to obtain additional medical opinions.

The veteran was granted a rating of at least 10 percent for left ankle scars and denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD with gastritis, as well as service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right foot plantar fasciitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance for Sunscreen SPF 30 as there is no evidence that he was prescribed sunscreen for a service-connected disability.

The Board granted service connection for a back condition, including degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back condition and left leg radiculopathy, finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, finding that a compensable rating was not warranted based on the evidence of record.