Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and associated lower extremity radiculopathy have precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since December 19, 2018.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine condition, including bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and right shoulder condition but denied earlier effective dates for the claims of entitlement to an earlier effective date for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity, sciatic nerve, and peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, sciatic nerve.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy as the evidence did not support a finding that the condition was moderately severe.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral eye disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and both knee disabilities due to the lack of evidence showing current disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for sciatic nerve conditions and knee osteoarthritis, finding that the current disability levels did not warrant higher ratings.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder prior to June 15, 2020, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter. However, it granted ratings of 30 percent for left upper radicular peripheral neuropathy, 40 percent for right upper radicular peripheral neuropathy, 20 percent for left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and 20 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy.

The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for a lumbar disorder and an effective date of April 11, 2018, for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), while denying other claims.

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

The Board granted service connection for right and left ankle, left knee, back, and tinnitus disabilities but denied service connection for a left Achilles tendon tear and right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, right hip disability, shin splints, upper respiratory infections, low back and cervical spine disabilities, as well as radiculopathy and sciatica in the lower extremities. The only positive decision was a 10 percent rating granted for eustachian tube dysfunction with vertigo.

The Board denied service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of January 13, 2018, for the grant of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, as he did not meet the schedular criteria and there was no reasonable possibility that his service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy, prior to January 15, 2020, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter, as well as entitlement to a TDIU, due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical strain, lumbosacral strain and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, knee strains, psychiatric disorders, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus, shoulder disabilities, breathing disability, foot disability, headache disability, and joint disability, to provide the Veteran an additional opportunity for examinations and opinions.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to higher ratings for cervical spine disability, left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, and right shoulder disability due to an outdated medical examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for various hip and femoral nerve radiculopathy disabilities, finding that he did not continuously pursue a claim for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for PTSD, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 16, 2020, for the award of service connection for right and left upper extremity radiculopathy but denied increased ratings for cervical spine disorder and upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU for the appellate period prior to November 8, 2022 were granted.