Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's combined rating for service-connected disabilities is 60 percent, which does not meet the threshold requirement of having a 'serious injury' incurred or aggravated in service to qualify for PCAFC benefits.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disorder and a right knee disorder, finding that the evidence does not support a nexus to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back condition and bilateral foot radiculopathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since June 21, 2018. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, had its onset during service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claims as they are now moot.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that a VA opinion is needed regarding whether it is at least as likely as not proximately due to or aggravated by any service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for esophagitis and spinal lumbar stenosis due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous rating decisions. The Veteran is being asked to provide additional evidence or undergo further examination to determine if his conditions are related to service, particularly exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, leading to a grant of TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error regarding the Veteran's right wrist surgery and post-operative care, as well as discrepancies in X-ray interpretations by VA physicians.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities. A 20% rating was granted for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was initially rated as 10 percent prior to February 21, 2014. It was increased to 20 percent from February 21, 2014 to November 16, 2014 and to 40 percent beginning July 30, 2019.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was initially rated as 40 percent prior to June 17, 2019 and increased to 20 percent from June 17, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability was denied. For the period prior to August 23, 2019, the disability was rated at 20 percent and not higher due to lack of limitation of motion or ankylosis. For the period beginning August 23, 2019, a rating in excess of 40 percent is denied as there were no incapacitating episodes meeting the criteria for such a rating.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 26, 2017 due to inextricably intertwined issues with other pending claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his lumbar and thoracic spine conditions. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, which is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, heart condition, and headache condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information provided by VA examiners regarding the Veteran's back disability, right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and femoral radiculopathy. The examiners did not address whether pain significantly limited functional ability with flare-ups or if symptoms resulted in ankylosis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart disability, back disability, and shoulder disabilities due to insufficient examination findings. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, otitis media of the right ear, and onychomycosis of both feet. A mental disorders examination is also required.