Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for a right-hand skin condition, right and left lower extremity varicose veins, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain.,There is no evidence of current diagnoses or symptoms related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disability. The claim for service connection for a low back disability remains denied.

The Board has determined that new evidence was submitted to warrant readjudication of the previously denied claim for service connection for a lower back condition. The case is being remanded to obtain an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lower back condition is aggravated by his service-connected IBS disorder.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a left shoulder disorder, a back disorder, heart/ischemic heart disease, and a right foot disorder.

The Board has dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal and thus, the Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Board has remanded several issues due to the appellant's character of discharge and other service connection claims. The VA will seek additional records, conduct a mental health examination, and readjudicate the cases.

The Veteran's left pubic ramus fracture and right ankle disability are granted with a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's low back pain is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleeping disorder has been denied as the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of this condition.,Service connection for PTSD and right hand disability have also been denied, with effective dates set at September 17, 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee strain, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and thoracolumbar spine strain due to incomplete compliance with prior remand instructions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and low back disability due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, with his claim being remanded under a direct basis.

The Board has remanded the claim for a back disability due to insufficient medical evidence and potential errors in previous examinations. The Veteran's current conditions are being evaluated further by VA.

The Board dismissed the appeals as to ratings and effective dates for various conditions, due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disorder, major depressive disorder, right wrist disorder, and lichen planus are granted service connection. The remaining issues of service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder, neck disorder, low back disorder, and bilateral knee disorder are remanded due to the passage of time since the last VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for low back disorder, cardiovascular disorder, lung cancer, and gastrointestinal disorder for accrued benefits purposes due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent since July 24, 2020. The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the period prior to this date.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is currently rated at 20 percent. The case was also remanded for a retroactive opinion on flare-ups during earlier examinations.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was previously rated at 10 percent, and the Board has now remanded this issue as well.,The Veteran’s TDIU claim is being referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a finger condition, back condition, bilateral shoulder condition, bilateral ear condition (to include hearing loss and recurrent infections), and acquired psychiatric disorder (unspecified-schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder) due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for further medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right shoulder, right knee, right foot, and right hip disabilities due to missing service treatment records. The Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions. The issues include hypertension, back disability, bilateral foot disability, bilateral knee disability, respiratory disability, diabetes mellitus, and cardiac disability all potentially related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and dismissed the claim of service connection for lumbar spine disability as moot due to a grant of service connection in January 2020.