Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and the upper back condition were both remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left knee disability due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to the Veteran's failure to submit a completed VA Form 21-8940, which he believed was not necessary because his service-connected disabilities already meet the eligibility criteria for a TDIU rating. The Veteran should be given another opportunity to clarify his employment history and complete the application.

The Board has dismissed all the appeals regarding service connection and rating for various conditions, including tinnitus, neck disability, knee and hip disabilities, ankle disability, depressive disorder with panic disorder, and back disability. The decision is due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with anxiety and TBI results in total occupational and social impairment, leading to a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD effective April 1, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy need further examination to determine their current severity. Additionally, a TDIU claim is remanded due to evidence indicating the Veteran's service-connected disabilities impact his employment.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease is granted service connection, while the right knee disability is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar disk disease, with right S1 radiculopathy, status post lumbar discectomy and laminectomy is granted. The Board found that the evidence was in approximate balance, granting the benefit of doubt to the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the VA did not substantially comply with its previous remand instructions regarding obtaining missing service treatment records and scheduling VA medical opinions. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for these actions.

The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's low back disability, finding that it did not meet or more nearly approximate unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with incapacitating episodes of at least six weeks during any 12-months period.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection is warranted, and therefore denied her claims. The cases are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, to include sleep apnea, has been reopened. Service connection is denied as there is no current diagnosis of sleep apnea or symptoms indicative of an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness. The Veteran's lumbosacral myositis and lumbar disc degeneration are currently rated at 20%.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The issues of service connection for various conditions are now pending.

The Veteran's right knee and back disorders are found to be proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability.,Service connection for radiculopathy of the LLE is reopened based on new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, each diagnosed as arthritis, based on continuity of symptomatology since separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with myositis of the thoracolumbar spine was granted, and he is now rated at 40 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, a back scar associated with the low back disability, and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The case is remanded to obtain an opinion on whether the Veteran's foot disability is secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis effective September 13, 2010. The decision is based on the date of receipt of the claim and not earlier.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran's claims of a higher rating for low back disability and TDIU are being reviewed.