Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to obtain VA examinations prior to denying his claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, requiring VA examinations to determine if his claimed disabilities had their onset during or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for depression as secondary to service-connected left ankle and left knee disabilities. The low back condition is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence for the Veteran's claims of low back disability, gastrointestinal disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. These issues are being remanded to allow for further development and readjudication.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, requiring VA examinations to determine if his claimed disabilities had their onset during or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities. The low back disability is remanded due to incomplete VA examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis claim is remanded due to the need for further clarification on whether he has radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that may relate his current disability to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions. Specifically, a VA examiner is needed to provide an opinion on whether there is a medical link between the Veteran’s current back condition and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck and back disabilities due to inadequate examination reports. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's lay statements, in-service fall, and post-service treatment records when determining whether his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities other than PTSD. The Veteran's SMC claim was also denied as he did not meet the statutory criteria for housebound status.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including anxiety, left knee disability, back disability, right wrist disability, sleep apnea, IBS, and hypertension. The Veteran's appeal is pending further development.

The Veteran's compression fracture of the thoracolumbar spine did not result in forward flexion limited to 60 degrees or less, or a combined range of motion of 120 degrees or less. Therefore, his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent was denied.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, cardiovascular (CV) disorder, and hypertension as the evidence did not support direct service connection or presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current back disability had an onset in service or is otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims file is incomplete, specifically missing documents related to his March 2012 claim for benefits and July 2013 Waiver of Review. The VA must attempt to obtain these documents or provide a formal finding memorandum of unavailability.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder condition, neck condition, back condition, left hip condition, right hip condition, respiratory issues, sleep conditions, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded several issues related to various disabilities, including uterine fibroids, right knee disability, scars of the right knee and abdomen, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, left breast scars, Kienbach's disease with arthritis of the right wrist, and Kienbach's disease with arthritis of the left wrist. The remand requires consideration of additional evidence and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, liver disease, hepatitis C, skin cancer, neuropathy, residuals of shrapnel wounds to the back, buttocks, and legs, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and a lumbar spine disability. The appeal is currently remanded for further development.,The Veteran's appendectomy scar was rated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 7804 due to pain but not instability.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations and opinions to address whether the Veteran's spinal disorders are related to service-connected disabilities, specifically his knee conditions.