Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, right and left shoulder disabilities, low back disability, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The appeals are pending further development.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic low back disorder, finding that the current disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service and did not have their onset within one year of service. The Veteran's complaints of pain during service were noted but no chronic condition was diagnosed. The Board also found that the current low back disorders are more likely due to a post-service injury.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his right toe, bilateral leg, and low back disabilities. The current rating for the left great toe fracture remains denied.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the failure to obtain an adequate medical opinion and scheduling issues. The appeal will be remanded for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current thoracolumbar spine disorder and cervical spine disorder are related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation of the Veteran's low back disability and right foot disability. The VA examiners did not specifically address the Veteran's gait abnormalities, which are relevant to these issues.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, including degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between current symptoms and military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating of craniectomy residuals due to insufficient evidence, including lack of service treatment records related to lumbar spine complaints.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including TBI, respiratory condition, skin condition, back condition, bilateral knee and ankle conditions, and pes planus. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment from October 1, 2017, to December 17, 2021. Since then, his combined rating is 100%, making the TDIU claim moot.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain private medical records and a new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was incurred in service.

The Board has denied service connection for an intestinal condition and remanded the issue of service connection for a back condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address her claims for lower extremity radiculopathies and a higher rating for lumbar spine fusion.,The Board also finds that the issues of TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance are inextricably intertwined with the above-mentioned claims.

The Veteran's low back disability has been rated at 20 percent prior to February 11, 2015 and since April 21, 2022. A higher rating of 40 percent is granted effective from that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development, including failing to schedule and notify him of examinations. The issues are now pending again for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to insufficient examination reports.,Additional medical evidence is needed, including updated VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is likely attributable to an injury sustained during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine condition and a cervical spine condition, finding that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's post splenectomy is rated at the maximum allowable schedular rating of 20 percent. The Board denied an increased rating for this condition, as there was no evidence showing systemic infections with encapsulated bacteria resulting from the splenectomy.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the failure to issue a Statement of the Case (SOC) in the initial decision, and the appellant's appeal is still pending in the legacy system.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a low back disorder and granted it, finding that the Veteran's current low back disorder is proximately due to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.