Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and a higher rating for cervical spine disability, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims. The Board also noted that the Veteran had not met the criteria for ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active service and granted service connection for this condition. The remaining issues have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's current anxiety disorder is proximately due to, or the result of, his adjudicated service-connected disabilities. Service connection for an anxiety disorder as secondary to his service-connected disabilities has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding medical evidence and incomplete release forms for private treatment records. The Veteran's low back disability is being reviewed again.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right lung disability, fatty liver disease, allergic rhinitis, low back strain with osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy are denied. The Veteran's claim for Schamberg's disease of the feet is also denied. Service connection for kidney disability (claimed as renal dysfunction) is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded several issues related to the Veteran's back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and conducting a VA examination to assess his back disorder and associated radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, lower back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence from previous VA examinations. The case will be returned for further review.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, right foot disability, and cardiac disability. Service connection was granted for hypertension with a rating of 70 percent from July 26, 2006 to May 29, 2012.

The Veteran's back condition is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding its relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for adjudication of a CUE claim and readjudication of his TDIU claim. The issues include service connection, determination of CUE in an August 2017 rating decision, and entitlement to TDIU prior to April 19, 2019.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for his right obturator nerve condition, reopening of the bilateral inguinal hernia repair claim, and TDIU have been dismissed. The appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his low back disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inconsistencies in the medical evidence and need for an addendum opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development and an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disorder.

Your appeals for service connection for low back disability and insomnia have been dismissed due to the appellant's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as they are pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and origin of the Veteran's back condition. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected back condition was denied a higher rating prior to February 18, 2020 and after that date. The left knee conditions were also denied higher ratings.,A separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability from August 27, 2015 to June 4, 2017 was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's low back disorder, including his service connection and exposure history. Further development is needed to verify his periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for low back and left knee disorders due to the need for a VA examination.