Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, right foot spurs, and degenerative arthritis of the spine (back disability) due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete private medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to inadequate VA examinations and outstanding medical records. The Veteran is entitled to new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine, right knee, and left shoulder disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the appellant's current condition is not related to his in-service injury and considering multiple post-service injuries and work-related accidents as contributing factors.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, but denied service connection for residuals of a wound to the back of head (TBI). The Veteran's current spinal conditions are considered at least as likely as not related to his active service. However, there is no evidence linking the Veteran's TBI to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral disc bulge at L5-S1, migraine headaches, and hypothyroidism status post thyroidectomy (GOITER) as there was no evidence of a current disability in accordance with VA regulations. The Veteran did not have a bilateral hearing loss disability or ankylosis for the purposes of rating her lumbosacral disc bulge at L5-S1. Her migraine headaches were rated 30 percent disabling, and her hypothyroidism was rated 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and lumbar degenerative joint disease were denied. The Veteran was not granted any additional benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability does not render him unemployable as he is still employed and his income is above the poverty threshold for one person, making it unlikely that he works in a protected environment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities from July 19, 2011 to November 21, 2018 and after that date. The evidence did not substantiate a reasonable possibility of unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of back disability was granted, and the effective date is set at August 3, 2002, which is one day after his separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, right and left ankle, and bilateral wrist/hand disabilities due to a lack of medical opinion regarding their relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeals.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate examination report regarding the Veteran's flare-ups, which are relevant to determining his range of motion during these exacerbations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there is clear and unmistakable evidence of a preexisting condition that was not aggravated by his second period of active service. The Board also found no direct service connection due to lack of in-service injury or aggravation.

The Veteran's service-connected back and left ankle disabilities result in loss of use of the left lower extremity, allowing her to be eligible for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine if his back disability and psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective from August 22, 2019 to August 28, 2020. The appeal for higher ratings prior to this period and for left lower extremity radiculopathy remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and neck disability due to inadequate development of his periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lumbar and cervical spine conditions are remanded for further evaluation due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lower back disability may be related to service, but more evidence is needed to make a determination.

The Board denied service connection for left patellofemoral pain syndrome and a low back condition, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support these claims.