Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran to be examined and have their medical records reviewed in order to determine if they are entitled to higher disability ratings for their right ankle fracture and lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of substantial compliance with a previous remand, and additional development is needed before service connection for a low back disability can be decided.

The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, finding that the evidence is in equipoise with regard to showing a link between the condition and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of low back disability and left knee disability for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development and examination, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting new VA examinations.

The Board has restored the 20% disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected back disability effective May 1, 2017. The appeal remains pending for higher ratings for other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of lumbar spine degenerative arthritis was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within a presumptive period. The Board also found no continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating of various conditions, including a right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's left knee condition is currently rated at 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 5260.

The Board has found that additional attempts must be made to locate and obtain missing military personnel and service treatment records from March 1995 until July 2000 in order to confirm whether the Veteran suffered his claimed injuries in the line of duty. The Board also notes that the Veteran did not appear for his VA examinations due to medical travel restrictions.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, high cholesterol, and tinnitus have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for right knee disability, back disability, left knee disability, left hand disability, and right hand disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional VA and private treatment records, as well as further development based on those records.