Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM II) due to its potential secondary nature to a service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, specifically regarding service connection for lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as a higher rating for uveitis, conjunctivitis, episcleritis with dry eyes.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hand burn injury, lower back condition to include bilateral leg pain, neck burn injury, and face burn injury are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and traumatic brain injury, but has remanded his claim for degenerative disc disease lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need to obtain inpatient hospitalization records from Fort Knox.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for lumbar spine, right leg, and left leg disorders has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claims are now remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not incurred in or caused by his period of active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disability and lower back (lumbar) disability due to insufficient medical evidence on file. The claims will be reviewed again after a VA examination is conducted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an examination to determine if any current low back/lumbar spine or right ankle disabilities had their onset during active service, including a reported fall from a trailer in Iraq in 2008. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is denied as it preexisted service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a back disability was granted. Service connection for tinnitus and an increased rating for left ankle disability were also granted, while the issues regarding PTSD and TDIU are remanded.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for a back disorder, separate ratings for agoraphobia, nervousness and depressive disorders, and higher ratings for the right arm and left shoulder scars, painful right arm scar, right wrist and hand arthrofibrosis, and left shoulder disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions being related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding TBI, depressive disorder, lumbar spine disability, right knee strain and tendonitis, and left knee strain and tendonitis has been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal prior to a Board decision.

The Board denied compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for an additional lumbar spine disability due to treatment at a VA medical facility in June 2014, finding that the Veteran's current service-connected back disability already warranted compensation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, an initial rating for lumbosacral strain, spondylolisthesis, levoscoliosis, anterior wedging T10-12, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to outstanding development needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine strain, bilateral pes planus, and adjustment disorder due to inadequate examinations and failure to provide adequate reasons or bases.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for low back disability, sleep disturbances, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The claim for a low back disability is denied.,The claims for sleep disturbances and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral spine disability, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity due to deficiencies in prior examinations and lack of substantial compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claims, particularly in relation to service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and right foot condition due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations. The VA is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing these issues.