Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The cases are being remanded for further development.

The appeal is dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, effective August 4, 2010. The appeal for a higher rating continues.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity pain and numbness are both denied.,The Veteran’s claims for service connection were not established as his lumbar spine disability did not have its onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is rated at 10 percent, left knee meniscus tear at 20 percent, and PTSD remains rated at 30 percent prior to July 8, 2019, and 70 percent since then. The appeals for higher ratings are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 40 percent rating for service-connected thoracic spondylosis and degenerative disc disease status post a healed inferior L5 fracture (back disability) is granted. The issue of still higher rating for service-connected back disability, including separate ratings for associated left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active service. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the March 1983 denial.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back disability of the lumbar or thoracic spine, and bilateral glaucoma due to new evidence and further development being required.

The Board has found that the VA treatment of methadone and morphine caused multiple falls, resulting in additional orthopedic, neurological, cognitive, and vision disabilities. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in permanent total disability. The Veteran is also seeking an increased rating for his TBI.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), a low back disability, and a lung disability are remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain a VA opinion as required by previous remand instructions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including arthritis and degenerative disc disease, has been restored to a 40% rating effective December 1, 2015. The claim for a higher rating remains pending.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's right knee and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination reports and a need for additional development, including obtaining retrospective opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected back condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus and sleep apnea are granted as service-connected.,Service connection for a back condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations in various service-connected disabilities are being remanded to the RO for further review and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's statements and provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that his current condition had its onset in or is otherwise related to active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability and bilateral knee condition, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after service and concluding that any current back disability is not related to military service.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of February 15, 2008 for the Veteran's entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected back disability.