Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back and left knee disorders due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The claims are now pending again.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board dismissed the issues of service connection for TBI and a left wrist disability. The Veteran's PTSD is granted with an initial rating of 70 percent, but no higher.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in the medical opinion provided by the VA examiner. The Veteran's thoracic spine disorder is being reviewed again for proper service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for medical opinions regarding the Veteran's incontinence symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lower back disability, gastritis, IBS, and migraines due to potential issues with the adequacy of VA examinations and need for further medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate reasons and bases in previous decisions, requiring a retroactive opinion on the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to November 13, 2014.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for back and right hip disabilities are being reconsidered.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 9, 2010 for his total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to back disability. The appeal was not about service connection but rather about when VA should have granted TDIU retroactively.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and verifying claimed stressors. The Veteran is also to be provided with a new examination for his psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and cervical spine disorder have been rated at 20 percent since October 28, 2015 and April 19, 2016 respectively. The Veteran has also received increased ratings for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy (from October 28, 2015 to August 12, 2020), left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy (from October 28, 2015 to August 12, 2020), and low back surgical scars (since May 21, 2017). A TDIU has also been granted effective from October 28, 2015.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and cervical spine disorder have not met the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and increased ratings for his lumbosacral spine disability. The Board has determined that remand is necessary to obtain updated VA examinations due to the passage of time since his last evaluations, which do not comply with current regulations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's back disability. The case will be returned for further development, including a new VA examination and review of records.

The Veteran's generalized body aches with tender points, bilateral pes planus disability, and degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine are all granted as service connected.

Prior to March 21, 2017, the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent and denied a higher rating.,From March 21, 2017, the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's lumbar strain was rated at 10 percent and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's coronary artery disease (CAD) was rated at 30 percent and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that there have been substantial compliance issues with the previous remand directives and thus, the case is being returned to the VA for further development.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder was denied for a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to May 22, 2019. Ratings of 10 percent were granted for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from May 15, 2014. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar spine disorder was denied after May 22, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence showing diagnoses not present at previous denials.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar disability is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the April 2019 VA examination. The case will be returned for an adequate medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for ischemic heart disease was denied as the evidence did not show congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction less than 30%, or more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back disability was denied as there is no credible evidence linking his current condition to his period of active service.