Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tremor disability is related to his service exposure to solvents and herbicides. The left knee and low back disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection on multiple conditions, including chronic stomach condition, cirrhosis of the liver, enlarged heart, hypertensive vascular disease, low back condition, and sciatica of the left leg.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, upper extremity neurologic, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities. The appeal is now remanded to assign initial disability ratings and determine eligibility for TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and is remanding the issue of service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with its previous remand directives and, as such, another remand is required for the Veteran's claims of right shoulder rotator cuff tear, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease with degenerative disc disease, right knee plica syndrome, and hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and opinion.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder is being remanded as new evidence has been submitted but an etiology opinion is needed.

The Veteran's right sciatic nerve radiculopathy was rated at 10 percent prior to August 18, 2022 and denied a higher rating. For the period beginning August 18, 2022, he is denied a rating in excess of 20 percent.,The Veteran's left sciatic nerve radiculopathy was granted a separate 10 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis and disc disease with scoliosis, post-surgery; cervical spine arthritis, post-surgery; and left knee disability, to include meniscal tear and arthritis, post-surgery. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service physical stress and subsequent diagnosed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and failure to address as to whether substantial compliance was achieved. The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded for a retrospective medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for further diagnostic testing.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of broken ribs and a lumbar spine disability, finding that there is no current disability or evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed back disability, right hip disability, sleep apnea, and right hand scar as there was no evidence of their onset in service or within one year following discharge. The Board found that arthritis of the spine or hip did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during their pendency.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine, but has remanded the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder claimed as sleepwalking.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has denied service connection for a lower chin condition and remanded the issue of service connection for a lower back condition. The Veteran's testimony introduced competent evidence of an in-service event or injury and symptoms of a present disability, but further examination is needed to determine if any lower back disability is related to service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The increased rating claims for hip and knee conditions were remanded due to insufficient information regarding the range of motion estimates after repeated use over time and flareups.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as hip, knee, cervical spine, and low back disabilities. The issues of psychiatric disorders and initial compensable disability ratings have been remanded.