Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining missing VA records and providing retrospective medical opinions to assess his lumbar strain disability. The issues include seeking higher ratings for a chronic lumbar strain prior to February 19, 2011, and since that date, as well as entitlement to SMC due to the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims for various conditions as the appellant died during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition, finding insufficient evidence to establish a direct or secondary relationship between his current back condition and service or his service-connected knee conditions.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's cervical spine condition and service, nor did it find any link between his migraine headaches and exposure at Camp Lejeune. The claims were denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine strain was dismissed, and the appeal for TDIU was granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for clarification of the evidence regarding his back pain and radiculopathy, as well as to ensure that all necessary development has been completed.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a low back disorder and remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection is being remanded for both issues.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his thoracolumbar spine disability is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of unfavorable ankylosis, and therefore, a rating in excess of 40 percent is not warranted. However, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal, neurological, and respiratory conditions due to incomplete development of records and inadequate examination reports.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete examinations and lack of supporting rationale. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, a back disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (secondary to back disability), and hypertension (secondary to back disability).

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder, diagnosed as disc space narrowing at L5-S1, finding that the Veteran's in-service physical activities were related to his current condition. The decision also notes that the rating criteria will consider overall functionality of the back and distinguishes symptoms associated with the now service-connected back disorder from those associated with other conditions.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for postoperative pilonidal cyst, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression) secondary to his service-connected postoperative pilonidal cyst, and service connection for back, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral hips, and bilateral knees are also being remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to his service-connected postoperative pilonidal cyst. An addendum opinion will be required to address this issue.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the lack of updated employment and income information since his last application in 2015. The VA needs to obtain these details before a decision can be made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in an inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and therefore denied his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine will be reviewed again with a new examination.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in the need for aid and attendance of another person, as she can perform most activities of daily living with assistance when needed.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder may be related to service, but needs further clarification from a medical professional.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for bilateral upper extremity conditions are being remanded due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an opinion regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea, including whether his obesity is caused or aggravated by any service-connected disabilities. The rating for back disability and bladder disability have been dismissed.