Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right hip condition and low back condition, finding that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected left foot fracture.

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

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral eye disability, heart disability, erectile dysfunction, prostate disability, urinary disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and left foot disability. The Board found that these disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, diagnosed as lumbosacral strain and spondylosis with chronic pain, is granted service connection due to a link between the condition and his in-service injury. The Board found that the evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a temporary total rating based on convalescence following right knee surgery. The appeal is not resolved as to these matters.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected PTSD and lumbar strain, which combined have rendered him unemployable.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability and cervical degenerative disc disease, finding that there was no nexus between the disabilities and service. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship to service.

The Veteran's pre-existing bilateral pes planus condition was aggravated by service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition. The low back condition is remanded for an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and a TDIU rating is granted.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, which exceeds the requested rating of 30 percent.,CAD is currently rated at 30 percent and does not warrant a higher rating due to the absence of congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent.,The thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, which corresponds to forward flexion limited to 60 degrees during flare-ups and after repetitive use testing. The Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of left ventricular dysfunction or ankylosis.,Left knee chondromalacia is rated at 10 percent, which corresponds to objective evidence of painful motion without loss in range of motion on flexion. The Veteran's symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.,GERD with hiatal hernia is rated at 10 percent, which corresponds to considerable impairment of health but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service connection claim for restless leg syndrome was denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to her active duty service or a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied due to her having multiple service-connected disabilities, none of which alone meet the schedular requirements for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disorder and right lower extremity sciatica, finding that there was no evidence of such disorders in-service or immediately thereafter.,The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for TDIU as his disabilities alone were not sufficient to render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to lack of compliance with previous directives, need for additional records, and inadequate development regarding range of motion and radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in medical opinions and need for clarification regarding the Veteran's ability to perform 'medium work' despite his service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim is also being referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder and low back disorder are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of such disorders during active service or within one year post-service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40% and his left and right ankle disabilities are both rated at 10%. The claims for increased ratings remain pending as the AOJ has remanded them.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and spondylolisthesis. The decision found that the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes mellitus, and bipolar disorder as the evidence did not show current disabilities or continuity of symptoms since service.

The reduction from a 60 percent rating to a 20 percent rating for cervical arthritis was improper, and the 60 percent rating is restored. The Veteran's service-connected cervical arthritis with left upper extremity radiculopathy continues to meet criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions including bilateral elbow, wrist, knee disorders, a heart disorder, and a low back disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.