Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing VA treatment records and a need to reschedule VA examinations. The issues include rating increases, service connection, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions in the February 2020 VA examination. The case is being returned for new addendum opinions addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder, stomach, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine with arthritis is granted as service connected.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, which is now considered.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's back disability, including his in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate VA examination opinions regarding service connection for back and right knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's current back disorder is related to his service-connected left foot disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected back disability is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches is remanded to obtain a more thorough opinion on their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations. Specifically, he needs updated VA treatment records, Workers' Compensation records, and a new examination to determine if his back condition, hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with a prior remand directive and an insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain, finding that his condition did not meet the criteria for an increased rating due to lack of evidence supporting episodes of incapacitating IVDS.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar arthritis is granted an initial increased rating of 20 percent, but no higher. The Veteran's cervical strain with degenerative arthritis prior to September 25, 2020 and from September 25, 2020 are both granted increased ratings of 10 percent and 30 percent respectively. There is no increase in rating for right sciatic radicular pain.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes and bilateral sciatic nerve condition are granted service connection. The hernia condition and cervical strain issues remain pending for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his service-connected bilateral hip disabilities and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and left knee disability, to include as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability. The Board found that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions, and that any current disabilities are not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for an adequate VA examination and medical opinion. The Veteran's upper back disorder is being reviewed, as are his service connection claims.

The Board has decided that a new medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's current low back disability, other than degenerative disc disease, is related to his in-service injury. The appeal is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding flare-ups and functional loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service and that any current condition is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his chronic lumbar strain and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the lumbar strain, as it did not meet the criteria for such a rating based on limitation of motion or other factors. For the TDIU claim, the Veteran's combined disability rating had already reached 100% due to his service-connected disabilities, including cervical radiculopathy and left knee instability, which precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.