Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and low back injury due to incomplete consideration of evidence, including new diagnoses and lay statements. The cases are returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted, and the claims for secondary service connection for lumbar spine disorder and left knee disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine DDD is rated at 10 percent prior to November 29, 2018 and denied for a higher rating. From November 29, 2018 onwards, the claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and bilateral foot disabilities due to incomplete opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his current conditions.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's back disability and also granted TDIU. The decision was based on the evidence showing that the Veteran’s back disability did not meet criteria for higher ratings, but met the criteria for a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of evidence of unfavorable ankylosis.,The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic and femoral nerve radiculopathy are both currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds no basis for a higher rating as there is no evidence of moderately severe or more severe incomplete paralysis.

Service connection is granted for lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and headache condition.,Service connection is denied for acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder and lumbar spine disorders, and peripheral neuropathy. The issues are related to whether these conditions are secondary to a service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right knee, left knee, left hip, and right hip conditions due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine and right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the same condition was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 40 percent for the thoracolumbar spine disability, effective from April 5, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for dental trauma, lumbar spine disability, left eye disability, and increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 9, 2019 and an increased rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter. The decision found no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as associated radiculopathies, are granted with effective dates of September 28, 2007.

The Veteran's disability rating for lumbar disk disease with left lumbar radiculopathy was increased to 40 percent disabling from February 20, 2014 to March 16, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine, recurrent peptic ulcer disease, and chondromalacia of the right knee, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since April 27, 2006.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right hip, and left hip disabilities as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability due to deficiencies in the adequacy of the VA examination reports and need for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus and degenerative changes are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and an acquired psychiatric disorder are both denied as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's low back condition and its relationship to service. The Veteran contends that his current back issues are related to an injury he sustained while working on a flight line for B-52s during service, but there is conflicting medical evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, a back condition, residuals of TBI, and headaches. The decision found that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of fibromyalgia or any other claimed conditions during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinion and issues regarding credibility of lay statements. The Veteran's preexisting back disorder is alleged to have been aggravated by service, but there are conflicting opinions in the record.