Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 10 percent prior to August 31, 2015 and denied for a higher rating.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent and denied for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for clarification of a private medical provider's qualifications and opinions. The Veteran was denied effective dates prior to April 7, 2016, for right knee strain and tinnitus. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied. A rating higher than 10 percent for right knee strain is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and potential missing private treatment records. The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is being reviewed again for a possible connection to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and failure to address the Veteran's lay statements regarding his in-service onset of symptoms.

The Board has dismissed all issues of appeal related to the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, PTSD and depression, and TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it began in service and has continued since.,Service connection for the low back disability is denied due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Board has found that service connection is not warranted for a left shoulder condition due to the lack of a current diagnosis.,Service connection is also denied for teeth grinding (bruxism) as it is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathy, as well as his claims for sleep apnea secondary to asthma, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. His claim for an increased rating for asthma is also being remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as incurred in service, and her bipolar disorder is rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines.,Her migraine headaches are remanded for a new rating determination. The dry eye syndrome and back disability are also remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition had its onset in service and is related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the issues of service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.

The Veteran's non-service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for non-service-connected disability pension benefits.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his degenerative arthritis with disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to September 24, 2019, and after this date as well.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination report and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disability.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim for service connection of a back disability is granted. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD was denied because the new evidence submitted did not relate to an unestablished fact and lacked probative value.,The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a low back condition as secondary to the service-connected disability of the left knee injury status post arthroscopic surgery was also denied due to lack of material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including DDD and degenerative changes, has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, the claim remains denied as there is no evidence that the current condition was incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities, are being remanded due to the passage of time and the indication of worsening symptoms. The RO is instructed to obtain updated VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for reopening of entitlement to service connection for a low back condition and a respiratory disability because the Veteran never appealed these issues to the Board.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back disability, left hip disability, and left leg length discrepancy due to insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if there are any medical links between his current disabilities and military service.