Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted service connection, and the Board finds that his GERD may be aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The claims for left knee, right fifth digit, hemorrhoids, onychomycosis of the toenails, and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was granted a rating of 20 percent prior to April 7, 2016. Beginning April 7, 2016, the rating for his left shoulder disability is denied. Prior to June 18, 2012, the Veteran was granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's low back condition is denied as not related to service.,An initial compensable rating for emphysema is denied due to non-compensable FEV-1/FVC levels.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for bilateral foot, hip, ankle, lumbar spine, and skin disabilities due to exposure to Agent Orange. Updated VA treatment records and examinations are needed.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased disability ratings for service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, finding that it does not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back condition, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee and low back disabilities, as his current conditions are not linked to any in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches as a residual of a head injury and for a lumbar spine disability related to the head injury in service, finding that there was no causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent disabling prior to December 30, 2010, and in excess of 20 percent disabling as of February 1, 2011, for IVDS of the thoracolumbar spine was denied by the Board. The evidence showed that the Veteran's disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's back pain is not related to service, but tinnitus was found to be related.,Bilateral hearing loss and knee disability were denied as there is no current disability for VA purposes. The eye condition was diagnosed after service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back and left hip disabilities due to insufficient consideration of aggravation in the previous decision. The Veteran is required to provide new etiology opinions that address whether his current disabilities are aggravated by his service-connected left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional medical opinions. The issues include low back sprain, neck sprain, hypertension (secondary to unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder), sciatic nerve damage, and pleurisy.

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and a Lumbar Strain, finding that the conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and in-service injury, respectively.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that additional remand is needed to confirm the Veteran's current address and contact information, schedule new examinations, and provide adequate notification of the rescheduled examinations. The claims for service connection are also being remanded due to irregularities in communication.

The Veteran's low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were granted, but the rating for PTSD was denied. The Veteran also had an issue regarding service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions were denied as new and material evidence was not presented to support the reopening of these claims.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's current low back condition may be related to his service-connected PTSD, and thus requires further examination to determine if it is proximately due or aggravated by his PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate examination report from June 2008, which did not address the appellant's functional loss during her described flare-ups. The examiner was instructed to estimate this additional loss based on a review of the relevant records.