Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back and left knee disabilities due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for new examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for GERD is dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues regarding increased ratings for thoracolumbar spine disability and TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of her back disability, radiculopathy, and PTSD.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and back disability, finding that his conditions are due to repeated impact from parachute jumps during active duty.

The Board has denied service connection for a cervical spine disability due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to service. The lumbar spine disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand several claims for further development and evaluation due to procedural issues. The Veteran's appeals on substantive grounds are now pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to withdraw his appeals for service connection of various disabilities, including skin condition, bilateral ankles, bilateral knees, neck, left ear hearing loss, low back pain, and psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and a personality disorder). The claims for head injury with residual headaches have been remanded.

The Board finds that more development is necessary prior to final adjudication of the Veteran's service connection claims for low back disability and left hip condition due to their inextricability. The issues are remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for additional information regarding functional loss during flare-ups and after repeated use over time.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remands and a need for a more thorough addendum opinion from a VA orthopedic surgeon.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied, while he received a 30 percent rating for his cervical spine disability effective February 9, 2011.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or connect these conditions to any service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim was also denied as there were no service-connected disabilities preventing employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a retrospective examination of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and issues related to TDIU and SMC.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for hypertension and entitlement to a TDIU prior to April 17, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine as secondary to bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's left and right knees with chondromalacia are each rated at 10%.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for cervical degenerative disc disease and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The AOJ must provide an addendum opinion addressing the severity, frequency, and duration of any flare-ups since November 15, 2009.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for further evidence, including private treatment records.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40% effective December 27, 2016. The appeal for a higher rating prior to that date remains in appellate status.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40% and the claim for a higher rating is denied. The claim for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound rate is also denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathy were granted initial ratings, with the right lumbar radiculopathy receiving a 20% rating from February 10, 2009 to September 21, 2020, and left lumbar radiculopathy receiving a 10% rating from June 22, 2013 to February 12, 2018.