Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for another medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current back disorder is related to an in-service injury, including one he testified about during his hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, right sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy as there was no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes. The current evaluations were found to be appropriate given the mild symptoms reported by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for residuals of syphilis, SMC based on aid and attendance/housebound status, low back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, gout, and respiratory condition have been dismissed. The claims for TDIU are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar strain, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome disabilities due to insufficient examination reports that do not comply with the Court’s rulings on assessing functional loss.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran injured his low back during combat service with continuity of symptomatology since the injury. The diagnosis of lumbosacral strain secondary to Marie-Strumpell's (rheumatoid spondylitis) disease cannot be disassociated from the in-service injury and the x-ray findings of bony ankylosis of the dorsal spine during service.,The Board has also granted service connection for Raynaud’s syndrome as a residual of frostbite of the hands and feet, finding that reasonable doubt establishes that he manifested Raynaud’s syndrome as a residual of frostbite of the hands and feet.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for a supplemental medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of low back, right knee, and left hip disabilities. The Board dismissed the appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lower back disorder, right side leg disorder, and right knee disorder due to a lack of medical evidence on record.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further action.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability and a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease is being remanded for further examination and consideration due to the lack of adequate medical evidence regarding a leg length discrepancy and its impact on his back pain.

The Board has determined that the claims for increased rating and TDIU are not complete due to missing VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits decisions. The Veteran is therefore being asked to provide or authorize VA to obtain these records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back and bilateral foot disabilities were denied. The Board found that the new evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DJD is granted a 40 percent rating, while the IBS with spastic colitis remains at 30 percent.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent prior to March 24, 2008 and 10 percent thereafter. The claim for increased ratings was denied as the evidence did not show forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine less than 30 degrees or unfavorable ankylosis.

The claim of service connection for a low back disability, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lumbosacral strain was aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death, as they do not have jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and initial evaluations for his lumbosacral spine disability are being remanded due to the need for additional records. The claim for increased evaluation of his lumbosacral spine disability is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

Service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and kidney disease has been granted.,The Veteran's low back pain claim was denied, but service connection is now granted due to reopening on new evidence.