Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot, skin, pulmonary, and back disabilities due to incomplete development of records and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical opinions and evidence. The TDIU claim is also being reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for Meniere’s syndrome, right hip bursitis, right knee condition, back condition, and left lower extremity neuropathy with residuals to allow for further evaluation by VA examiners.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, bilateral shoulder condition, and bilateral knee condition due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder and denied the claim for TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes, and his service connection claims were granted based on direct evidence of a nexus to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including IVDS and associated radiculopathies of the right and left lower extremities, are granted with effective dates. The Veteran is awarded a 20% rating for her lumbar spine disability prior to August 7, 2017, and an increased rating beyond that date.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of claim. Separate evaluations for radiculopathy in both lower extremities are also granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination and lack of consideration of all service treatment records. The Veteran's low back disability is being reviewed for direct service connection, secondary to PTSD, or both.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis, instability, left knee meniscal tear, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis have been rated based on their severity. The Veteran has received separate ratings for his knee conditions and the thoracolumbar spine condition.,The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for his thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis effective February 8, 2017.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, facet arthropathy and L5-S1 disc bulge has been granted a 40 percent disability rating effective January 9, 2015.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for service connection of a thoracolumbar spine condition before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and the need for further medical opinions regarding her hip, back, neck, shoulder, and gynecological conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for VA examinations to determine if the Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities have aggravated her right knee, bilateral hip, and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the cases of back disability and bilateral foot disability. The claims are being returned to VA for further development.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent prior to December 23, 2019 and remains at that rating thereafter. The evidence shows the Veteran has loss of forward flexion of his spine with less than full range of motion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's tinnitus and his service, as well as secondary service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that his disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis is rated at 20 percent, but no higher. The other issues are remanded for further review.