Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is related to his service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disability and right and left shoulder disabilities, have been remanded due to the need for further development.,An effective date earlier than March 2, 2006 for the grant of service connection for lumbar spine disability is denied.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including low back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and right hip disorder. The decision also noted that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss had its onset in service.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a status post closed fracture of the left clavicle and an upper back disability due to outstanding VA treatment records being located in Vista Imaging.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability was denied as the evidence did not show that his forward flexion or combined range of motion met the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for GERD was also denied because there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the condition preexisted service and did not worsen during service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of a low back disorder and a psychiatric disorder, leading to the dismissal of these claims.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional development, including obtaining retrospective opinions on passive range of motion at prior examinations.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death prior to a final decision. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a secondary relationship between his current condition and his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's right fifth finger disability is not rated higher than noncompensable due to lack of limitation of motion or ankylosis.,Service connection for a low back disability was denied as the condition did not originate in service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service connected. The neck and back conditions are remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to a previous denial of service connection for low back disability, and further development is needed to address the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service parachute jumps and continuity of symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, TDIU, and nonservice-connected pension due to the preponderance of evidence against finding that her current back disability began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury. The Veteran now has a 100% rating for PTSD effective December 22, 2011.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is currently rated as 40 percent disabling since June 1, 2015. The Board denied a higher rating for this condition.,Left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are separately service-connected and rated at 10 percent each prior to August 30, 2019, and 20 percent each thereafter. The Veteran's femoral nerve involvement is rated at 30 percent from August 30, 2019.,The Board denied a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found that the Veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy and his lay statements regarding carrying rucksacks and weapons were insufficient to establish a nexus between his current back disability and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to determine the severity of his back disability prior to June 2, 2016 and whether he was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities prior to January 12, 2016.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is rated at a 20% evaluation prior to July 23, 2020 and denied for higher evaluations on and after that date.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar strain, degenerative disc disease with levoscoliosis and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity were denied. The rating for lumbar strain was not granted as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion. The restoration of 60% disability rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity from September 1, 2016 was also denied.