Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Veteran's PTSD and Degenerative Disease of the Lumbar Spine have been granted initial ratings, but no higher. The Veteran is not entitled to increased ratings for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back condition, finding that any current back disability was not incurred or aggravated in service and is not presumed to be service connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 3, 2017 and from August 2, 2017 due to insufficient evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has found that remand is necessary to obtain new medical opinions regarding the service connection of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, as they are related to his service-connected left ankle disability.

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

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's back disability is related to service or secondary to his service-connected foot disability.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of the lower left extremity have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational experience.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his lumbar spine disability is denied as the evidence does not show that he has had forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less, or unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of these conditions.,Service connection was also denied for lumbosacral strain as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder and denied service connection for a back disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is related to service, particularly his ACDUTRA period in May 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder disorder, low back disorder, and left knee disorder due to lack of medical evidence addressing the etiology of his current symptoms.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination due to inadequate previous examinations. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability from August 30, 2016, finding that the evidence did not support ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Board has granted service connection for semi, anterior vertebral lumbar fusion of L3-L4 with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that these conditions are related to injuries sustained during active duty service.

Your claims for increased ratings have been dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of these claims before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various joint disabilities, including back, wrist, and elbow conditions. The appeals are based on his service in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm. Further medical evaluation is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his Gulf War service.

The Veteran's urethral stricture, right heel disorder, and lumbar spine disorder have been granted ratings. The urethral stricture is rated at 10%, the right heel disorder at 10%, and the lumbar spine disorder from February 6, 2020, at 20%. The Veteran's request for a higher rating on his right great toe disorder was denied.

The Veteran's initial claims for increased ratings for his low back disability and associated radiculopathy have been denied. The Board has also remanded the Veteran’s claim for increases in the “staged” ratings for PTSD.,PTSD is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective May 15, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for cardiovascular conditions, low back condition, type II diabetes mellitus, and schizophrenia due to insufficient medical nexus evidence. The Veteran contends these conditions are secondary to his service-connected substance abuse disorder.