Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the increased rating claim for his lumbar spine disability and his service connection claim for a skin disorder prior to the promulgation of a decision in the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and increased rating were denied.,For the lumbar spine degenerative joint disease and associated left lower extremity radiculopathy, an effective date of February 6, 2017 was granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, hypertension, bilateral knee conditions, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, left elbow condition, right elbow condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, and left and right knee conditions. The new evidence submitted since previous denials is considered material as it relates to the basis of the prior final denial.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no causal connection between the condition and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder, left ankle, low back, and bilateral hand disabilities due to an undiagnosed illness. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported symptoms of pain in these areas since his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee chondromalacia, right knee chondromalacia, and lumbosacral strain have been denied. The rating of 10 percent has been maintained for the entire period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability due to conflicting evidence and lack of clarity in the December 2010 VA examination opinion. The Veteran is to be provided with another VA examination to address the nature and etiology of any lumbar spine disabilities, including pain causing functional loss.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, unequal leg length, and higher ratings for manifestations of the Veteran’s MS. Service connection for abnormal liver function tests and skin rash have been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to irritation of the sciatic nerve, calcium deposit on the sciatic nerve causing right leg and hip pain, right hip disability, and lumbar spine disability are not properly before it due to a lack of competent medical evidence associating these conditions with his active duty military service or another service-connected disability.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective May 31, 2017, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine arthritis and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's hearing loss and PTSD have been granted increased ratings, while the hip and knee conditions remain at noncompensable levels. The Board has remanded for further development regarding earlier effective dates.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new, relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records being added to his case file. The AOJ is required to review these records and readjudicate the claims.

The Board has denied a higher rating for the Veteran's lumbar strain and remanded the issue of service connection for his right hip disability, which is claimed as secondary to his service-connected lumbar strain. The appeal is currently pending.

The Veteran's service-connected sciatica of the right lower extremity is currently rated at 20 percent, and her lumbosacral spine disability prior to February 22, 2020, and thereafter, is rated at 40 percent.,The preponderance of evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board dismissed the appeals because the Veteran's representative requested to withdraw all his appeals before the decision was made.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent since July 11, 2015. This decision grants a higher rating for the period after that date.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA, but the issues of PTSD and fatty organs are remanded due to incomplete records and need further investigation.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of federalized service periods and failure to obtain all pertinent service personnel records and treatment records, including those related to a low back disability. The AOJ is instructed to complete these actions.