Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for higher evaluations and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to withdrawal. The Board has also determined that the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc disease (L4/5 and L5/S1) with lumbar spondylosis and spondylolisthesis, left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve are REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (including PTSD, asthma, DJD of the lumbar spine, tinnitus, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and migraines) render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board denied service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding no current diagnosis of the condition and that it was not related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.,The TDIU claim is denied as there is no evidence showing the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's NOD was timely filed and has remanded several issues for further development. The main issues are related to increased ratings for herniated disc at L4-L5 with right lower extremity radiculopathy, status-post fracture of the pubic ramus, left, major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified, and TDIU.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for ratings and effective dates related to degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy, right lower extremity due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's appeals for an initial disability rating exceeding 10 percent and a rating exceeding 40 percent from February 3, 2017 for IVDS, service connection for elevated liver enzymes, and service connection for tinnitus have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for entitlement to earlier effective dates for separate compensable disability ratings for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity as due to service-connected bilateral sacroiliitis of the lumbar spine and denied a higher rating for bilateral sacroiliitis of the lumbar spine. The claims for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders and neck are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right lower extremity sciatica, finding that it is due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's lower back disability is rated at 20 percent, and the increased ratings for left and right sciatic radulopathy are granted.

Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.,Initial disability ratings in excess of 20 percent are denied for left and right lumbar radiculopathy.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for a low back condition due to conflicting medical opinions and need for additional development.

The Veteran's left knee disability has rendered him unable to secure and follow gainful employment since August 20, 2021. His other service-connected conditions do not prevent him from working.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the threshold schedular criteria for a TDIU prior to February 10, 2019. The Board found that his service-connected low back disability with radiculopathy made it difficult for him to maintain employment and be productive.

The Veteran's nerve disorder affecting the left lower extremity, including neuropathy and radiculopathy, is remanded for further evaluation due to missing service treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed.,A TDIU was granted effective December 1, 2008.

The Board has remanded the claims for revision of rating decisions on CUE and for earlier effective dates, as these matters are intertwined with the CUE claims. The AOJ must adjudicate the CUE claims in a separate decision before addressing the earlier effective date claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to inadequate examination findings. The VA is asked to provide an addendum opinion regarding the presence of left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic, obturator, and femoral nerves prior to the March 2022 VA examination.

The Board has remanded two issues: the first regarding left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and the second regarding a lumbar disability. The Veteran's claims are being returned for further development to ensure proper consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) status post T11/T12 compression fractures and right lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need to reconcile contradictory findings from a March 2018 VA examination.

The Veteran's left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve peripheral neuropathy have been granted initial evaluations of 40 percent effective from October 23, 2018.,Prior to this date, the disabilities were rated at 20 percent.