Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his low back and left foot disabilities are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations, as well as consideration of recently amended rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment from July 29, 2009 through June 9, 2011. The Board granted an extraschedular TDIU based on this condition.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and respiratory disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence.,New claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder with alcohol use dependence), heart disability (claimed as ischemic heart disease and/or residuals of stroke), hypertension, and TDIU are also being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that his current condition was incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition, including radiculopathy, is granted service connection based on in-service injury. Service connection for generalized muscle and joint pain with morning stiffness is denied as not related to service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for Lyme disease residuals, low back arthritis, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and left shoulder arthritis. The decision also includes a request for additional examination and opinion regarding these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability as the evidence does not support that it began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for back disorder, stomach condition, basal cell carcinoma, and thyroid disorder due to presumed herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The VA is instructed to obtain an addendum or new medical opinion from file review to determine if these conditions are related to the Veteran's presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for another VA examination to clarify the Veteran's range of motion and assess his current severity of lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee, right knee, lumbar spine, and left hip conditions due to insufficient medical opinions in the July 2019 decision. The Veteran must provide additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected mechanical lumbar strain is being remanded to determine if the additional diagnoses of disc disease, sacroiliitis, left hip trochanteric bursitis, and bilateral radiculopathy are related to her service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and temporary total ratings are being remanded due to the failure of VA examinations.

The Board finds that further development is necessary to determine the Veteran's service connection claims for a low back condition and an acquired psychiatric disability.,Specifically, additional records from Loma Linda VAMC are needed to establish continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic back disability, to include as secondary to right ankle and bilateral knee disabilities, should be remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected back disability and for TDIU due to inadequate medical evidence and procedural issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and a respiratory disability due to inadequate medical opinions in previous decisions. The claims are now pending for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship of the claimed conditions to service. The Veteran's low back, knee, hemorrhoid, GERD, and urinary tract disabilities are all being reviewed further.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's shoulder and back disabilities, as well as his heart disability. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability was granted a 40% rating beginning July 7, 2017. The effective date is not specified as it was factually ascertainable that the condition had increased in severity.