Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether a four-month delay in referring the Veteran to an appropriate specialist resulted in additional disabilities, including sacroiliac syndrome. The case is now pending for further development and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted. The Veteran now receives a disability rating of 50 percent for each affected joint from September 9, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip, left hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral ankle and bilateral foot disabilities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's asthma is related to his service, but has remanded for further examination and development regarding his low back condition.

The Board has remanded the claim for an extraschedular TDIU prior to December 17, 2013 due to additional evidence being added to the record.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and development are not sufficient to make a determination on the claims for increased ratings for low back disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU. The Veteran's lay statements suggest functional equivalent of ankylosis during flare-ups or due to repetitive use. Therefore, another remand is required.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and has remanded the issues of bilateral upper and lower extremity tendonitis, bilateral knee disorder, right hip disorder, and prostate cancer residuals.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is granted a 40 percent rating from November 30, 2020.

The Board has found that the VA opinions are inadequate and requires further development, including a new medical opinion to determine if any current back disability was caused or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, effective October 7, 2022. The Board also granted a TDIU prior to March 1, 2019.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted. The Board found that the evidence supported direct service connection for most of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for invertebral disc degeneration of the lumbosacral spine was denied. The claim for a 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity from November 3, 2015, was granted. However, the claim for a higher rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity remained denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions regarding his low back disabilities, piriformis syndrome, and orthopedic injury autoimmune reaction. The case will be returned to the VA examiner for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete or inaccurate factual premises in a previous VA examination, and an additional medical opinion is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and opinions regarding his claimed disabilities. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability is not related to his military service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremities, secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine. The issue of service connection for bilateral foot disability other than lumbar radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's back disability, including recent medical records and lay statements. The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for a back disability, but has remanded the issues regarding neck and left knee disabilities.