Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing records and need for further medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's low back disability was reduced from 60 percent to 10 percent effective September 1, 2016. The reduction resulted in a decreased combined disability rating.,From September 1, 2016 to December 5, 2018, the Veteran's low back disability more closely approximated a combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine less than 120 degrees.,From December 6, 2018, the Veteran's low back disability more closely approximated favorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine. The left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve has been rated as moderate incomplete paralysis.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the femoral nerve from April 26, 2018 was granted a separate 20 percent rating.,Prior to March 12, 2015, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment. The TDIU claim is pending.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve was reduced from 40 percent to 20 percent effective September 1, 2016.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and major depressive disorder with insomnia, is granted.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted. Service connection for lower extremity radiculopathy (right foot numbness) is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with spasm is currently rated at 20 percent, and the appeal seeks a higher rating.,Separate ratings for left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy associated with chronic lumbosacral strain are granted at 10 percent effective August 3, 2017.,Right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is rated at 20 percent from August 3, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremities, as there is no current diagnosis of this condition and it is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent effective July 30, 2012. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted effective the same date.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of the required testing criteria. The issues include his service-connected lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, and femoral radiculopathies.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been rated based on their respective service-connected conditions.,Prior to January 26, 2015, the Veteran was denied higher ratings for his right and left lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Board has granted service connection for mild degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine with mild compression fractures and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to an incomplete search for ship logs of the U.S.S. Hollister, which may have corroborated the Veteran's account of exposure to hazardous fumes resulting in his current disabilities.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board has granted TDIU beginning January 9, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted with a disability rating of 20 percent.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to November 19, 2015 is granted with a disability rating of 20 percent. From November 19, 2015 to November 22, 2016 the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is denied and from November 22, 2016 onwards it is granted with a disability rating of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for left leg pain, right leg pain, and left lower extremity sciatica due to a need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been denied. The right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, the cervical spine disability remains at 20 percent, and the radiculopathy of both upper extremities are also rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for prior to October 19, 2020 is denied as his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The SMC housebound rate claim is also denied due to the absence of a single, permanent service-connected disability rated at 100 percent.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was remanded by the Board in November 2020. Since then, he has been granted service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral and sciatic nerves and a scar of the right knee. The issue must be readjudicated considering all his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for neurological impairment of the left and right lower extremities, diagnosed as radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, are granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy (prior to December 23, 2020) was denied as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.