Radiculopathy & sciatica Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder and right lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for a left upper extremity disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of an effective date prior to February 12, 2012, for the grant of a separate compensable rating for right cervical radiculopathy and initial ratings for cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis and mild reversal of normal lordosis since February 12, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and bilateral radiculopathy disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment for the period prior to April 16, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection and secondary service connection for a neck disability, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left lower extremity sciatica was granted, but the claims for right lower extremity sciatica, bladder disability (BPH), and bowel disability were denied.,Service connection for bladder cancer due to herbicide exposure was granted.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings of his service-connected peripheral neuropathy disabilities and for service connection for left eye anisometropic amblyopia have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as his claim for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are inextricably intertwined with each other.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (sleep apnea, PTSD, lumbar spine disability, and LLE radiculopathy) do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder arthritis and right upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to cervical spine arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is also granted for left lower extremity radiculopathy, which is related to the service-connected low back disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 3, 2017 and from August 2, 2017 due to insufficient evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of the lower left extremity have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational experience.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various joint disabilities, including back, wrist, and elbow conditions. The appeals are based on his service in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm. Further medical evaluation is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his Gulf War service.

For the rating period from January 14, 2008 to January 23, 2009, an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes (lumbar spine disability) is denied.,For the rating period from January 23, 2009 forward, an increased disability rating in excess of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability is denied.,A higher initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.,A higher initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and VA compensation benefits due to a lack of qualifying service prior to his discharge being changed from Under Other Than Honorable Conditions to honorable in August 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for left foot, hip, knee, and cervical radiculopathy disabilities due to incomplete information or evidence.,Service connection is being denied for GERD.

Total loss of sphincter control is granted. Special monthly compensation for loss of use of both lower extremities and loss of anal and bladder sphincter control under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o) is granted.,Service connection for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, coronary artery disease, eye disabilities, and a left hand disability are remanded.

The Veteran's low back injury prior to November 20, 2008 was granted a 40 percent evaluation.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity were each granted increased evaluations from May 19, 2011 onwards.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the Board finds that his conditions do not warrant higher ratings for PTSD, lumbar spine DDD, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, knee DJD, shoulder DJD, ankle DJD, elbow tendonitis, or foot plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of marked limited motion in any ankle or knee, and thus no higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes could be granted.