Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues, including service connection for hypertension and increased ratings for low back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The TDIU claim remains on appeal.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine disability, right and left upper extremity disabilities, acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and radiculopathy are denied. The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective July 17, 2015.

The Veteran was granted a rating of 20 percent for cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity from July 10, 2006 to April 23, 2012.,From July 7, 2011 to July 13, 2016, the Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent. From July 14, 2016 to June 9, 2020, it was rated noncompensable.,The Veteran's cervical spondylosis from June 7, 2011 to May 24, 2016 and August 1, 2016 to present was granted a rating of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to an earlier effective date for service connection and a higher rating for valvular heart disease, as well as TDIU. The Veteran's claims are pending further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension (HTN), and hypothyroidism were dismissed. The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. Other claims are being remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with IVDS and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than September 7, 2006 for the award of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show the award of service connection was based all or in part on newly added service treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for an initial 40 percent rating for sciatica of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity was granted, effective September 7, 2006.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of current diagnoses for hemorrhoids, left lower extremity radiculopathy/numbness, right ankle disability, or sinusitis. The Veteran's service records do not show any such conditions during his active duty.,For the right knee and left knee disabilities, the Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including gastrointestinal disability, knee and low back conditions, and lumbar radiculopathy. The remands are for additional development in order to provide adequate determinations.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was rated at 40% from April 26, 2010 to April 26, 2015. The Board granted TDIU effective January 1, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities as secondary to service-connected cervical spine degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and bilateral sciatica, finding that the Veteran did not have current disabilities or evidence of continuity of symptoms since service.,The Board also found no secondary service connection for bilateral sciatica as it was not linked to his primary low back disability.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and right hip disability, but granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy.,Right lower extremity radiculopathy is considered secondary to the Veteran's pre-existing back condition.

The Board dismissed all appeals for rating increases and earlier effective dates related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, and the Board has remanded for further development.,Service connection for right shoulder arthritis was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate examinations used in previous decisions. The cases are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the spine, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, sinusitis (including chronic cough), and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to insufficient evidence in some cases.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and associated radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities prior to January 15, 2010.,The Veteran's Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) claim for the period from December 30, 2005 to June 2, 2008 is also granted.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, effective December 2, 2020. His sciatica of the left lower extremity is rated at 40 percent, effective October 9, 2015. His radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is rated at 20 percent, effective December 3, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder is found to be the primary cause of her insomnia, and she is already in receipt of a 30% rating for anemia. The claims for fibromyalgia, diabetes mellitus type II, radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and mouth trauma are remanded.