Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The cervical strain was rated at 20% and the thoracolumbar strain was also rated at 20%. Service connection for psychiatric disorders, radiculopathy of upper extremities, and radiculopathy of lower extremities were all denied.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the cases of left knee, right knee, lumbar spine, and sleep apnea disabilities due to lack of in-service onset or relationship.

The Board has remanded three issues: a rating in excess of 10 percent for low back disability, a compensable rating for scar lower abdomen, and service connection for feet tingling including as secondary to lower back disorder. The Veteran's hysterectomy is denied.

The Board has restored the Veteran's service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease due to a lack of clear and unmistakable error in the original decision.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of April 14, 2009 for service connection of lumbar spine disability and PTSD. The Veteran's headache condition claim is denied as no formal or informal claim was filed prior to October 29, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for scarring on forehead, left shoulder condition, right hip condition, and lower back condition due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's right foot disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,There is no credible evidence to support the Veteran’s claim of in-service injury or disease related to his cervical spine disorder and lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided for the Veteran's leg, hip, heel/foot, back, and neck disabilities were inadequate. Additional development is required to address these claims due to the lack of a proper nexus opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his right and left knee disabilities, as well as a lumbar spine disability prior to December 14, 2015, were denied by the Board. The appeals are based on total bilateral knee replacements.

The Board has determined that additional VA opinions are necessary to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s claimed disabilities. The appeal is being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with communication and missing treatment records. The low back disability claim will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and major depression, recurrent was denied. His service connection claims for TBI and back disability were granted, while his left leg disability claim is pending and his TDIU claim is also pending.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to separate ratings for neurological impairments associated with service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, an extraschedular rating for the same condition, and TDIU due to the complexity of the case. The Veteran's service-connected conditions have resulted in significant functional impairment that affects his ability to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability that is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The rating of 20 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome was also granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lung disorder, back disability, and left shoulder disability due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiners' opinions. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and sleep apnea are all at issue. The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for sleep apnea.,The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his back disability and lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability should be remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examinations and because of errors in considering the effects of medication on the Veteran's range of motion. The Veteran is being asked for an addendum opinion regarding her range of motion with and without pain medication.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar strain, right knee disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been denied. The Board found that the current diagnoses are not related to in-service events or conditions.,There is no clear evidence of a chronic condition during service, and any post-service arthritis is not shown as having started during service.