Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine condition and remanded the issue of service connection for hemorrhoids.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability, back disability, and tinnitus. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's current neck disability, back disability, and tinnitus. The Board found that these conditions are related to in-service injuries or exposures.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for further examination. The Veteran's lower back disorder is being reviewed again with updated medical records.

The claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to unsuccessful attempts at scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is granted as service connected, with no specific date assigned.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his lumbar spine, right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is granted a 20 percent rating, but not higher. The cervical spine disability is denied any increase in rating. Radiculopathy ratings are also granted for the lower and upper extremities.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and left knee DJD is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations that comply with VA examination requirements.

The Board has restored service connection for lumbosacral strain, effective July 1, 2018. The Veteran's current lumbar spine condition is now considered to be L5-S1 degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claim for higher evaluations for his service-connected lumbosacral paravertebral myositis and left shoulder disability was denied. The Veteran is not entitled to an evaluation in excess of the current ratings for these conditions.,For the period prior to December 12, 2018, the Veteran's lumbar spine condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for meningitis with migraine headaches and service connection for a back disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities of the lower extremities caused his obesity, which in turn may have contributed to his lumbar spine disability. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for heart disease and diabetes were denied as there was no evidence of service connection.,For lung disorder and back disorder, the appeal is still pending due to insufficient information provided by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA opinion to address whether the low back disability is caused by or aggravated by the service-connected left ankle disability, and if so, whether it is proximately due to or the result of the service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, as well as rating increases for various shoulder and back conditions. The remand requires providing the Veteran with information about VA examiners who conducted his examinations, obtaining an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of his current cervical spine/neck disabilities, and reviewing all examination reports to ensure that requested information was provided.

The Board has found that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to adjudicate the claims for service connection. Therefore, the Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has withdrawn the issue of whether new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim for service connection for a right ankle disability. The claims for left shoulder, right shoulder, left hip, low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been reopened due to receipt of new and material evidence. These issues are now remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of service connection for a back disability and initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for back and left knee disabilities, with an initial 10% rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).