Radiculopathy & sciatica — all decisions

The Board granted an effective date of May 1, 2019, for a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD and granted earlier effective dates for the grant of eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance and special monthly compensation.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but remanded the back disability claim for further development.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral lower radiculopathy (sciatic and femoral nerve) secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back condition, as well as a 20 percent rating for his lumbar spine myofascial sprain.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities beginning September 3, 2019, and an earlier effective date for DEA benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several issues, including service connection for stomach pain.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.

The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.

The appeal is remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including the failure to obtain relevant treatment records and provide adequate VA examinations.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA, but denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, finding no relevant official service department records were added after the July 2008 rating decision that would vitiate its finality.

The Board granted an initial rating of 50 percent for right upper extremity radiculopathy and 40 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as separate ratings of 10 to 20 percent for various nerve conditions. The back disability was denied a higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for left and right carpal tunnel, pain of the right wrist and hand, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity, bilateral leg condition, including pain, sciatic radicular pain, hypoesthesia, and paresthesia. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches disability, and a 10 percent rating for sinusitis were denied.

The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Veteran was granted a 40% rating for his low back condition and a 60% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, while other claims were denied.

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder due to another medical condition with depressive features and generalized anxiety disorder, denied a higher rating for his migraine including migraine variants, and denied ratings for other conditions.

The Board denied an effective date prior to December 4, 2024, for the grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and denied initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and a lumbar spine disability. However, it granted a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran was granted an effective date of July 31, 2012, for TDIU and October 22, 2012, for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.