Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shin condition and back disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a back condition and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral leg conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 20, 2009 to April 9, 2019. His appeal for TDIU is granted during this period.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70%, and he has other service-connected conditions that prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The appeal for a higher rating for PTSD was denied, but the Veteran received a TDIU based on his overall disability picture.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current low back disability and his service. The case is sent back for further development, including obtaining a new opinion from an orthopedic specialist.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial disability rating greater than 10 percent for lumbosacral strain and service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae due to insufficient evidence. Additional examinations are needed.

A rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar spondylosis is denied.,The application to reopen the claim of service connection for prostate cancer is denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and LLE and RLE radiculopathy are not granted due to lack of evidence or insufficient evidence.,Entitlement to TDIU is inextricably intertwined with other claims and cannot be decided at this time.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's pre-existing lower back disorder was aggravated by her service-connected PTSD due to in-service sexual trauma.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.,The Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for lumbosacral spine disability, tinnitus, and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities were reopened. However, these claims remain denied as there is no evidence linking any current disabilities to active service.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar back disability and a left arm disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not incurred in or related to his military service.,There is no evidence of chronic symptoms or treatment for either condition during or immediately after active service.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left leg radiculopathy and atrophy, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused the current conditions.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial rating assigned for aortic valve insufficiency is granted with an effective date of April 29, 2008. The ratings for left knee patellar tendonitis and lumbar paraspinal tendonitis with degenerative disc disease are remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and lower back disabilities due to inadequate examinations that did not address the frequency, duration, characteristics, or overall severity of flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder and left shoulder disorder are related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive disorder NOS is granted a 70 percent disability rating, effective June 24, 2011. The Veteran’s lumbar strain is granted a 40 percent disability rating, also effective June 24, 2011. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for a new VA examination with an opinion on whether the Veteran's low back disorder is related to service or his right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's knee and back disabilities, as his testimony indicated that these conditions have worsened since the last evaluations.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected.,The Veteran's back disability is denied, but his sleep apnea is not related to service or a service-connected condition.,No new evidence was presented to reopen the claim for sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a low back disability, and rating for umbilical and ventral hernia prior to August 11, 2017, as well as rating for adhesions from May 29, 2014 to August 10, 2017. The issues of increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is needed.