Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hand tremors, bilateral knee disorders, a low back disorder, and a skin disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's STRs show he was treated for various conditions during his military service, but further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service connected. The low back disability issue, including whether it is secondary to a service-connected right knee disability, needs further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been granted initial ratings, with the cervical spine disability receiving a 30% rating effective December 21, 2010. The thoracolumbar spine disability received a 40% rating effective October 22, 2012.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to April 17, 2009, and denied any higher rating. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for further examination. The Veteran's low back disability is being reviewed, with consideration of whether it is related to his service-connected left ankle disability or any other conditions.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of a low back disorder due to insufficient consideration of evidence regarding continuity of symptomatology and treatment immediately after separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration of service connection claims.

The appeal with respect to radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is dismissed. The previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disability is reopened, and the issue remains on remand. Entitlement to a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is also on remand.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient range of motion measurements from previous VA examinations. The Veteran's low back disability needs further evaluation and a retrospective medical opinion is required.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under Diagnostic Code 6100. The claims for increased ratings for arthritis of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy were remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% evaluation of their service-connected lumbar disability is denied as there was no factually ascertainable increase in severity prior to the September 2015 claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back condition, but denied a prior effective date for his left knee condition.,The Veteran's left knee condition is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board has remanded this issue to obtain a current VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to inconsistencies in previous examinations and conflicting evidence regarding his right lower extremity muscle atrophy.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 10 percent prior to July 13, 2016 and 40 percent thereafter. Separate ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's low back condition, which may be related to service or pre-existed his second period of active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including chronic headaches, a lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity neurological disorder (claimed as neuropathy), left knee disability, dizziness/vertigo, sleep disability (to include sleep apnea), and diabetes mellitus. The Board has remanded these issues to obtain VA medical opinions regarding the nature and likely etiology of each condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, including pain, thoracic strain, and lumbar arthritis, finding that these conditions began during his military service.

The application to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disability is granted. The rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder is denied, and the issue of service connection for a low back disability is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorders. The current evidence does not sufficiently address whether these conditions are related to service or if they developed after separation from service.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40% prior to June 2, 2015. A separate 10% rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity has been granted.