Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has granted a TDIU from March 1, 2014, based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for right leg tingling and right lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, PTSD, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are all denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates due to outstanding treatment records, including those from Dr. Miller.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to determine the severity of the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to October 15, 2016 and on and after October 15, 2016.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding reductions in disability ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome, spinal stenosis status post multiple laminectomies, lumbar facetectomy and posterolateral fusion, right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, and left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy as the Veteran had died.

The Veteran's initial rating for associated lumbar spine radiculopathy, right lower extremity (RLE), is remanded due to a lack of notification and the need for a current examination.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, right (dominant) shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence on the nexus between active service and this condition.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DJD is granted an increased rating of 40 percent, but no higher. Separate ratings of 10 percent are granted for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's right small finger fracture is denied a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in several conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran and his attorney withdrawing their appeals.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased evaluation for degenerative disc disease at L4-L5 and associated radiculopathies due to incomplete examination findings. The Veteran is also being asked to provide a TDIU determination based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar osteoporotic bones with scattered degenerative changes, left and right sciatic nerve disabilities due to inextricably intertwined issues. The claims will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted service connection. The initial ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve, sciatic nerve, obturator nerve, external cutaneous nerve, and ilio-inguinal nerve are denied.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy has been granted a rating of 30 percent effective February 28, 2020. The right lower extremity radiculopathy remains at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is caused by his service-connected sinusitis.,There is no evidence of a current seizure disorder during the appeal period, and therefore service connection for a seizure disorder is denied.,Pneumonia is remanded as there are no records documenting treatment during the appeal period. The Veteran should provide authorized records from any physician or facility where he received treatment.,Tremor disability is remanded as the Veteran's lay statements concerning hand tremors in service need to be addressed by a VA examiner.,Back and neck disabilities are remanded as the Veteran's lay statements about back pain during service need to be considered. The Veteran should provide authorized records from any physician or facility where he received treatment for his radiculopathy.,Bilateral lower extremity and upper extremity radiculopathies are remanded in conjunction with the Veteran's neck and back disabilities, as they are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and right wrist strain have been remanded for further examination.,Service connection for vertigo with bilateral hearing loss is also remanded as the Veteran has provided new evidence since his last VA examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of a back disability due to the full benefit sought being granted in a previous rating decision. The TDIU claim was granted as the Veteran's combined disability rating is at least 70% and he is unable to work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to inadequate examination opinions and incomplete record development.

The Veteran's multilevel degenerative disc disease, femoral nerve radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are all rated at 40 percent for the period from June 10, 2007 to February 28, 2017. The Veteran's right knee degenerative changes status post arthroscopy with chondroplasty and synovectomy is rated at 20 percent, while his left knee degenerative changes are rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, are found to be of such severity that they preclude his ability to maintain substantially gainful employment. The TDIU rating is granted. However, the issue of a higher rating for the back disability remains pending.

The Veteran's dermatitis, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, lumbar spine strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and residuals of a stroke are all granted. The Veteran's lumbar spine strain is rated at 10 percent.