Difference Between...

[rpowell01]

I am trying to figure out some things. I filed back in early 2011 for right leg pain/radiculopathy. Then I filed for left leg pain/radiculopathy in 2012. Of course the VA denied both of them even after an IMO but I now have an EMG to prove everything.

Anyway should I file for Sciatica or will the VA rate the above under this category? Or is Sciatica a different rating and is not pyramiding aside from radiculopathy? Just curious how do I go about this or if I need to file a new claim for Sciatica or not.

Thanks in advance.

Good thing everything the VA RO denied me on the Tampa VAMC has diagnosed me with so this all just make Dr. Bash's IMO having more weight. I can't wait..

[Berta]

radiculopathy :

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00332

sciatica:

http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/guide/sciatica-symptoms

I am sure not the expert here on these disabilities but I think they are different.

I dont know if the VA will revisit the IMO you have from Dr. Bash, but hopefully they will.

The VA Schedule of Ratings is here ,under this main forum ,and can help you determine what the codes and ratings are for these conditions and if they are rated separately

Of course the VA denied both of them even after an IMO .

Can you scan and post the reasons and basis for the denial here? (cover name, address and C file # first)

[rpowell01]

Okay Berta thanks. Radiculopathy is the pinched nerves at the spine and Sciatica is the pain in the back of the legs or throughout the legs. So they are different. They will have to revisit Dr. Bash's IMO because he wrote one in 2012 and one in 2013 after he did an exam and he called my last claims process a CUE after they decided on it. He knows his stuff and I read the VMB, which I didn't have on hand during the last two claims, my last claims were in fact a CUE. They know that I know this now and I will have to wait after all appeals are over with. They totally screwed up my claims for one by not retrieving VA medical records in Tampa which would have in fact resulted from a different decision. Anyway the EMG proves I have radiculopathy in my legs and they can't deny it since they changed my DC to DDD for my whole spine. Dr. Bash has been 110% correct on his diagnosing me that the Tampa VAMC is now diagnosing the same things he already has. Plus with my SSDI awarded to me soley based on all my service connected issues this should help and give more weight to my De Novo Review, hopefully. I will file a claim of Sciatica this week and turn in the EMG report as part of the overall evidence.

I now am going to take a new amended NOD over to the VA RO and a request to have all my claims intertwined because they would in fact affect my IU claim. The VBM is an awesome book and I recommend it to everyone who files claims.