Radiculopathy & sciatica — all decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for increased disability ratings, and the claims are dismissed.

The Board granted the restoration of a 20% rating for lumbar spine disability and service connection for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, while denying service connection for vertigo.

The Board granted an effective date of October 8, 2016, for the award of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve and denied a higher initial rating for patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee.

The Board denied service connection for a foot disorder (bilateral plantar fasciitis) and a nerve disorder of the right upper extremity (cervical radiculopathy), as there was no evidence of current disability during the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis, left ankle achilles tendinopathy, post-traumatic (concussion) headaches, and TBI. The appeal for an earlier effective date was also denied.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and granted a 30 percent rating for asthma, while denying service connection for various conditions including allergic rhinitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypertension, lumbar spine pain, right lower extremity sciatic radicular pain, tremors of the bilateral hands, and chronic headaches.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and a rating in excess of 20 percent for the lumbar spine back disability, as the evidence did not show symptoms productive of total occupational and social impairment or greater severity.

The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's psychiatric disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and restored a higher rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board also granted service connection for migraines and erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both femoral and sciatic nerves, tension headaches, residual scarring, and PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including tinnitus, traumatic brain injury, post-concussion migraines, peripheral vestibular disorder, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome thoracolumbar spine, lumbar right side sciatic nerve radiculopathy, lumbar left side sciatic nerve radiculopathy, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, and cervical right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, linear midline lumbar surgical scar, and bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability and a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The Veteran's service connection for migraine headaches was granted, while the evaluations for spine and right lower extremity disabilities were denied or maintained.

The Board denied increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and right lower extremity radiculopathy, while granting a 40 percent rating from November 24, 2020 to August 1, 2022.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy throughout the period on appeal, resolving any reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine disability and earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to a duty to assist error.

The appeal of the issues related to increased ratings for various conditions, including tendonitis of the right ankle, osteoarthritis of the left ankle, lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy in both lower extremities, was dismissed due to a procedural defect.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and remanded the claims for higher initial ratings due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to an inadequate VA examination.