Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for cervical degenerative disc disease and bilateral heel spurs have been withdrawn. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis, unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, scar, left palm, and dermatophytosis are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's low back disorder. The claim will be reconsidered with additional medical records and a new examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral spine DDD and right knee patellofemoral syndrome due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their severity.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for low back disability prior to September 23, 2021 and from September 23, 2021, as well as TDIU. Additional development is needed including obtaining updated VA treatment records, SSA documentation, VR&E records, and an updated employment history.

The Veteran's low back disability was rated at 10 percent from November 1, 2016, until November 15, 2017. The rating is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating during this period.

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran's claim of service connection for his back disability, including lumbar degenerative disc disease. The remand is due to the need for additional development and an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back condition.

The Veteran's low back disability, which manifested with forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 45 degrees, is granted a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board has remanded four service-connected disability claims due to the Veteran's testimony indicating that his disabilities have worsened since their last evaluations in August 2012. The claims are now pending for further examination and rating.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not causally related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's additional disabilities, including postoperative residuals of right total knee replacement surgery and staph infection, are at least as likely as not caused by or contributed to by his surgeries. The Board finds that these events were unforeseeable.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a sleep disorder and low back disorder due to additional development being necessary.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for his low back disability, finding that the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or entire spine.

The Veteran's right upper extremity radiculopathy was rated at 40 percent disabling from October 10, 2018. The combined rating of his service-connected disabilities is currently 90 percent since September 11, 2019, which meets the criteria for TDIU. However, the Board has remanded the issue due to inadequate discussion in the previous decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his low back condition, finding that there is no medical evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service connection claims for chronic lumbar spine disability and cervical-spine disability, including as secondary to a lumbar-spine disability. The TDIU claim is also deferred pending completion of the requested addendum opinion.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis with disc degeneration and compression fracture is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The right knee disability is also rated at 20 percent. For his sleep disorder with depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, a 50 percent rating was granted prior to September 3, 2021, but not from that date forward. TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain resulted in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees, which meets the criteria for a 20% disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine degenerative joint disease (DJD) and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), finding that the current conditions are related to service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis (back) but has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability, not including degenerative arthritis.