Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination and lack of medical records. The Veteran's back condition is being reviewed again for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is related to his in-service complaints and treatment, granting service connection for a back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is as likely as not related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and consideration, including scheduling of VA examinations and obtaining updated medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his thoracolumbar spine disability and for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected post-traumatic headaches due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, and DJD of the low back. The disabilities are all found to be related to a July 2004 injury during INACDUTRA.

The Board has restored the reduced ratings for left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, but has remanded other claims including evaluations for ankle fracture, lumbar spine condition, knee conditions, and TDIU.

The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes of the lumbar spine is now rated at 40 percent. The Board has also remanded for further action regarding TDIU prior to January 30, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar strain was granted with an effective date of May 26, 2015. The Board is remanding the case to consider whether there was CUE in a prior rating decision denying this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service and granted service connection for this condition. The remaining issues, including those regarding low back strain, right knee patellar dislocation with chronic strain, limitation of flexion in the right knee, and hearing loss, are remanded due to outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible testimony of pain since service and his military duties as a cannoneer.

The claims for service connection have been reopened, but the cases are being remanded due to insufficient evidence and need for further development.

The Veteran's death from a motor vehicle accident was not caused or related to his service-connected conditions, including bipolar disorder and other medical issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder has been reopened and granted due to the submission of new evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine, lumbar spine (excluding spina bifida occulta), and left knee disabilities due to a lack of adequate medical opinions from an orthopedic surgeon.

The Veteran's service-connected right leg sciatica is rated at 40 percent effective from August 6, 2019. The Board finds that the disability meets the schedular requirements for a TDIU due to his severe and ongoing service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a right eye disorder, a low back disorder, left ankle disorders, right ankle disorders, right shoulder disorders, right hand disorders, and headache disorders. The reasons given were that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service aggravation or incurrence for most conditions, and there was no current diagnosis for some conditions.

The Veteran's right ankle, left knee instability, and lumbar spine disabilities have been granted initial disability ratings of 20 percent since August 24, 2011.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, finding that the medical evidence did not support such a higher rating under either the pre-amended or amended criteria.