Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a disability that meets the criteria for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right hand disorder, and left hand disorder are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's lumbosacral sprain has worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and obtaining a medical opinion on whether his current condition is related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine traumatic arthritis and thoracolumbar spine chronic mechanical syndrome, left knee chondromalacia of the patella, right knee osteoarthritis to include ACL deficiency, and headaches as secondary to service-connected cervical spine traumatic arthritis.,The Veteran's diagnoses are supported by medical opinions linking his conditions to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a lumbar spine disability due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding service connection. The case is returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and possible SSA records. The issues of increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability, psychiatric disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU are all being addressed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability, which is currently considered a direct service connection claim.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to additional information received after a previous medical opinion. The AOJ is required to arrange for a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral knee condition and other conditions, contributed to his obesity and thus aggravated his OSA.

The Veteran's use of a wheelchair and forearm crutches for service-connected disabilities is granted as a clothing allowance for 2018. The use of a urine bag does not meet the criteria for a clothing allowance.

The Veteran is granted pension benefits from April 6, 2021 due to his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar strain with mild interior wedging of L1, and mild disc degeneration of L4-S1 from January 22, 2010 to October 19, 2017. The case is remanded due to inadequate examination in May 2010 for addressing the Veteran's flare-ups.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The issues include a low back disability, dermatitis, left shoulder disability, upper extremity pain and numbness (to include gout), lower extremity pain and numbness (to include gout and radiculopathy), and a left knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ratings for mast cell activation syndrome, bilateral foot disability, lumbar spine disability, right elbow and shoulder disabilities, scars, gastroesophageal reflux disease with hiatal hernia, and hemorrhoids. The decision also includes a request for additional evidence from VA and private sources.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examinations and further development is required.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot due to the award of a 100 percent schedular disability rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine and right knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral knee and lumbar spine conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since February 20, 2012. The Board granted the TDIU claim effective from that date.

The Board denied service connection for back (lumbar spine) disability, right hip pain, and left hip pain as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability. The evidence did not show that the Veteran's lumbar spine or bilateral hip disabilities were caused by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current level of impairment.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding the onset and cause of the Veteran's bilateral elbow disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and low back disability. The claims are being returned to the RO for additional examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to a need for further examination.