Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip, ankle, and knee disorders due to insufficient medical evidence. The claims are being returned for further development including VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected low back strain, right ankle disabilities, and left ankle disabilities are worse than currently rated. The claims have been remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various joint disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions.,The Veteran has multiple unresolved claims related to his military service, including those involving his shoulders, back, hips, elbows, hands, wrists, and knees.

The Veteran's OSA was granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including weight gain from other service-connected conditions. His migraine headaches prior to November 18, 2016, were also granted a 50% rating based on very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection was denied for low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral shoulder disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or the presumption provisions. Memory loss was not found to be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for his lumbar spine and left foot disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, including his claims of service connection and related incidents. A new VA examination is needed.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service or any other compensable conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since October 7, 2014.,The Veteran is currently entitled to a TDIU rating on a schedular basis effective September 8, 2015. However, his case was remanded for additional development regarding service connection for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 20 percent from August 5, 2012 to January 5, 2016. The Board has remanded the issue of a TDIU prior to January 4, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate reasons and bases in the March 2012 VA examination, as well as issues raised by the record regarding his employment.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the claim for service connection for a low back condition, and as such, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and remanded the other issues due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's Meniere's syndrome with tinnitus is being evaluated without medication, and an addendum opinion on the severity of her cervical spine disability is needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that his current condition did not manifest in service or within one year after service and was not otherwise etiologically related to service. The Board also found no nexus between his service-connected left and right knee disabilities and his back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate October 2018 VA examination and requests for new evidence, including treatment records. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to determine current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for additional development. The lower/middle back disorder claim is being reviewed again, while the TDIU claim remains inextricably intertwined with it.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete compliance with prior remand directives and need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease, sciatic radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and femoral nerve radiculopathy have been granted.,Effective January 14, 2021, the Veteran is assigned a disability rating of 40 percent for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease. Effective January 14, 2021, he is also granted TDIU.

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for a back condition because the Veteran withdrew it before a decision was made.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and low back disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible assertions of in-service noise exposure and injury, as well as continuity of symptoms since service.