Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a back disability due to inadequate medical opinion and need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a recent VA opinion and failure to comply with previous remand directives. The Veteran's claim for service connection for his thoracolumbar spine disorder is now pending again.

The Veteran's onychomycosis and tinea pedis (bilateral feet) are now rated at 60% effective November 30, 2020. His lumbar spine disability is rated at 20%. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been granted. The appeal is denied for the claim of an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disability, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for payment of full VA disability compensation benefits while incarcerated is denied due to his incarceration for a felony conviction, which disqualifies him from receiving higher compensation rates.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not found to warrant a compensable rating.,Service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and left knee has been granted.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD). The Veteran seeks to establish a link between his current DDD and his active duty service.,For residuals, fracture of right mandible, the claim is denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and completing a VA Form 21-8940. The issues of increasing the disability rating for low back disability to more than 20 percent and determining if the Veteran is eligible for TDIU are being addressed.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted as service connected.,Service connection for left shoulder internal derangement and left ankle degenerative arthritis are remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.,Service connection for right hip disability and left hip disability are remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and the award of an effective date prior to April 16, 2017, for the award of service connection for a lumbar area scar rated noncompensable (0 percent).

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and dismissed the claims for lumbosacral strain and asthma.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to incomplete development and the need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's hyperlipidemia, dyslipidemia (abnormal fat disposition), hypertension, glucose intolerance, anemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, fatty liver disease, splenomegaly, right groin muscle strain, RLE varicose veins, LLE varicose veins, and RLE venous insufficiency are all being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his low back disorder on an extraschedular basis, TDIU prior to May 16, 2012, and SMC based on the need for aid and attendance of another or being housebound was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability caused his obesity and subsequent sleep apnea. The lumbar spine and bilateral foot disabilities are denied as not related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further consideration, including an examination to assess functional loss during flare-ups.

The Veteran's neck disability is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as of July 14, 2014.

Service connection is granted for a low back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and major depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected low back disability.,Service connection is denied for a right knee condition and a left knee condition.

The Veteran's asbestosis is granted due to in-service asbestos exposure.,Service connection for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings are being remanded due to the need for further development and consideration.