Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the remaining issues have been withdrawn. The claims of asbestosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and pulmonary fibrosis are remanded due to inextricability with other claims.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's COPD was incurred in service or is otherwise attributable to his active service.,The Board remanded the claims for right and left knee conditions, bilateral foot conditions, and low back condition due to insufficient development of the record.

The Board remands the appeal for further development as there has not been substantial compliance with the directives of a previous remand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various shoulder, back, and foot disabilities have been denied. The Board found no current right elbow disability, and the right and left shoulder disabilities do not meet criteria for higher ratings under Diagnostic Code 5201. For the lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities, the evidence did not show ankylosis or incapacitating episodes as required for higher ratings. The abdominal scar has not been manifested by disabling effects.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back disability, finding it to be etiologically related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has granted the reopening of service connection for right shoulder, right knee, and left knee disorders based on new evidence that supports a link to service.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and remanded the claim for a low back disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his service-connected lumbar spine, radiculopathy, and post-operative scar.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's chronic back pain manifested in service with continuity of symptomatology after separation.

The Board remands the matter for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's low back disability, as the previous examination was inadequate.

The appeal was denied for a low back disability and bronchitis, while the claim for service connection for headaches was remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined rating of 58 percent, which is less than the required 70 percent.

The Veteran's ankle and back conditions are not service-connected, as they are secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities. The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) because the evidence does not show that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating and TDIU prior to May 14, 2012 are being remanded due to the need for additional development of medical records.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was rated at 20 percent prior to January 12, 2017 and increased to 40 percent from January 12, 2017 to November 1, 2018.,From November 1, 2018 onwards, the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 40 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent her from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the entire appellate period.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for neck, low back, and left shoulder conditions due to inadequate opinions in the March 2020 VA examination report. The Veteran's statements about his injuries will be considered.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the issues of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right hip osteoarthritis, and left hip osteoarthritis are remanded.