Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased rating for a lumbar spine disability due to inadequate prior VA examinations and further examination is needed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an increased rating for a left shoulder disability at his February 2020 Board hearing.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for a low back disability due to additional development being required, including obtaining medical opinions and reviewing treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The remand includes obtaining updated VA treatment records, scheduling another VA examination, and providing an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and service connection for a skin condition due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand orders.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder, low back, and neck disabilities, as well as the reopening of claims for seizure disorder (now claimed as residuals of brain surgery) and bilateral hearing loss disability. The AOJ is instructed to verify all periods of active duty training and inactive duty training, obtain the Veteran's service treatment records and personnel records, and provide a response if records are unavailable.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial disability rating for scars of the left wrist was dismissed. The claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine conditions were granted, with the cervical spine condition receiving an initial 10% disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for lumbar spine, right ankle, and left ankle disorders due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service. Additional VA medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease, which was secondary to a service-connected disability of residuals from left leg injury with skin graft donor sites, has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that further development is required to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral foot disorder, low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and sleep disorder. The case is being remanded for VA examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more or systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more.,Left ankle and back disabilities are being remanded for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and bilateral pes planus due to incomplete medical opinions and need for further development.

The appeal for service connection for a spinal cord lesion and bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed.,The appeals for service connection for hypertension and heart disability have been denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for hyperreflexia has been reopened.,The appeals for service connection for back disability, heart disability (presumably ischemic heart disease), and hyperreflexia are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claim for a low back disorder due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination opinions and incomplete medical records. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, deviated septum, sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right hip disability, neck disability, and low back disability are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations to assess current level of impairment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for back condition and head injury (TBI) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran served in the U.S. Navy from February 1989 to June 1998, during which he was involved in a motor vehicle accident in February 1998. He now contends that his current back condition and head injury are related to this event.

The Board denied service connection for cervical stenosis, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, DJD of left shoulder, left knee disability, and left ankle fracture residuals. The Board found that there was no evidence in the service records supporting these conditions or their onset during service.

The appeal is remanded for further evaluation of service connection for arthritis secondary to the Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine, as well as for increased evaluations and an earlier effective date.