Radiculopathy & sciatica — all decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause him to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, thus granting special monthly compensation.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease prior to September 9, 2020 and earlier effective dates of March 5, 2020 for the award of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right eye dry eyes, cataracts of the left and right eyes, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, left renal arteriovenous malformation, aneurysm, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, recurrent subluxation of the left knee prior to May 13, 2020, left total knee replacement, disability rating in excess of 60 percent from September 1, 2021, forward for left total knee replacement, DJD of the right knee, right knee instability, burns of the bilateral ankles, linear scar of the left knee, post-surgical tender scars of the left knee, and a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) based upon service-connected disabilities prior to June 14, 2019.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction and remanded the claims for a higher rating for spondylolisthesis with degenerative disc disease, left and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and service connection for migraines.

The Board granted restoration of 20 percent ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathies of the sciatic and femoral nerves, but denied increased ratings in excess of 20 percent. The Board also remanded service connection for prostate cancer and a rating increase for low back strain.

The appeal for an increased rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder and other disabilities was denied, with no increase in the assigned ratings.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to higher disability ratings for lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as effective dates for TDIU and DEA, due to non-compliance with prior remand directives.

The veteran was granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent, but no higher, from December 26, 2017, for right lower extremity (RLE) sciatica.

The Board granted an effective date of March 4, 2019, for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and a 20 percent disability rating for this condition. The earlier effective date claim for the left lower extremity was denied.

The Board reinstated the 50 percent disability rating for squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp with surgical scars, effective February 19, 2024. Service connection was also restored for lumbosacral strain and various radiculopathies.

The Board remands the claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and higher ratings for lumbar spine and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for right and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, sciatic nerve.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings, as well as service connection for various conditions, except for a granted rating of 30 percent for GERD throughout the period on appeal.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include a mood disorder and alcohol abuse disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The other claims for increased ratings were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including generalized anxiety disorder and orthopedic conditions, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for an increased, initial disability rating for service-connected cervical strain with ACDF C6-7 and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity to correct a duty to assist error.

The Board granted an effective date of March 2, 2007, for the grant of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy and November 26, 2014, for COPD, emphysema, and asthma. The claims for earlier effective dates were denied.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from March 23, 2011 to May 10, 2022, excluding the period of full-time employment from August 5, 2021 to December 4, 2021. The claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities were denied.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the cervical spine disability, a 30 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy, and restored a 40 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy.