Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left shoulder disability and other conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to the severity of his disabilities. The Board found that he was unemployable from performing all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Board has remanded the claims for further medical development due to inconsistencies in the VA examinations and failure to account for functional loss due to pain.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with broad based bulge, L5-S1.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims for various shoulder, neck, and back disorders. The AOJ is required to obtain relevant medical records from Fitzsimons Army Medical Center and Tricare, schedule VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions, and issue a Statement of Claim (SOC) regarding the issues of entitlement to service connection for neck and back disorders.

The Veteran's claim for SMC AA/HB is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence addressing her need for aid and attendance or housebound status based on service-connected disabilities alone.

The Board has granted service connection for athlete's foot and scar disabilities, but has remanded the cases of back disability, dental condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, and joint and muscle pain.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of right hip and knee disabilities due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's dizzy spells are considered manifestations of his service-connected migraine headaches and not a separate, distinct disability.,His low back disability is found to be etiologically related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his combined rating did not meet the schedular requirements and that he was not unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar strain was incurred in service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The issues include his left knee, back condition, right hip condition, right foot condition, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's TDIU is denied as his date of entitlement to a schedular TDIU is March 31, 2018. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the economic component of a TDIU prior to March 30, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, hypertension, heart disability, stroke, left upper extremity disorder, bilateral hand disability, seizure disorder, and bowel disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and service or secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's back disability was rated at 20% from September 25, 2008 to July 3, 2010. From July 3, 2010 onwards, the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence to support her contention that her current condition began during or was aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded three issues: evaluating the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis, lumbosacral strain, and a neck condition. A new examination is needed for all these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability due to inadequate examination findings and the need for a retrospective medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus and hypertension as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus, bilateral knee arthritis, and low back disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and remanded the issue of service connection for a back disability.