Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board granted service connection for a back disorder and reopened the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, anxiety, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression. The remaining claims were denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to new evidence and outstanding records. The claims for right ankle, left ankle, right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, weakness and lack of coordination of legs, radiculopathy of lower extremity, PTSD with dissociative symptoms and derealization, allergic rhinitis, headache disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory disability, cervical spine disability, tremors of hands, and costochondritis are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and headaches due to inadequate opinions regarding whether these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by her service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a bilateral hip disability and low back disability due to incomplete service treatment records, unclear diagnosis of his disabilities, and lack of VA examinations. The Veteran is requested to provide additional information about his periods of service and any relevant medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities due to incomplete medical opinions. The Veteran's current knee conditions are established, but VA needs to provide additional opinions addressing their etiology.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spondylolisthesis and spondylosis of the lumbosacral spine have been granted a compensable initial rating (10%) effective May 13, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back condition and right lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional impairment or additional neurological abnormalities.

The Board has not fully complied with the remand directives and the claims for an extraschedular rating and TDIU are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which fully reflects the severity of his symptoms as described in the VA examinations. The rating does not exceed what is warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining medical opinions on service connection claims and visual field testing results. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted with direct service connection, while his pancreatitis claim remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder of the hands and denied entitlement to increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis. The Veteran's skin condition is not related to his military service, and he was granted a 40 percent disability rating for his lumbar spondylosis effective May 16, 2018.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his back disability since January 18, 2016. The Board dismissed the issue as it is no longer under appellate status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has not fully complied with its previous remand instructions and the case is being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of substantial compliance with a prior remand directive, specifically regarding an examination by an orthopedic specialist.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective August 20, 2019. The TDIU is granted on a schedular basis.

The Board has remanded the claim for a low back disability due to incomplete records and requests for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's South Carolina National Guard records need to be obtained, and an addendum medical opinion is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, low back disability, upper back disability, and right leg varicose veins due to lack of evidence supporting service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, right arm disability, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was also not granted as secondary to arthritis.,Service connection was denied for all issues due to the lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any other valid service connection theory.