Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examination reports and need for updated VA treatment records. The Veteran's chip fracture, left fibula, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and lumbar spine issues are all under review.

The Board has remanded the claims for a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression due to additional development being required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury and no current disability related to such injury.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and remanded it to allow for further development, including obtaining an opinion on whether the disability is secondary to his service-connected leg disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left lower extremity condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during active service and granted.,Issues related to shin splints, left foot disability, right foot disability, tendonitis of the knee, left knee disability, bone fractures, back disability, dysentery, allergies, and TBI residuals are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during active service and granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that his preexisting condition did not increase in severity beyond its natural progression during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neck, back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities due to additional development needed.

The Board has vacated the November 2021 decision denying service connection for a lumbar spine disorder due to failure to comply with prior remand directives. The case is now REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the VA to obtain his medical records and conduct examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities, which may affect his ability to drive. The matter will be readjudicated after these actions.

Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, back disability (lumbago), hypertension, and right elbow condition.,Pending further development: Service connection is being considered for recurrent sinusitis, recurrent bronchitis, right eustachian tube dysfunction, left eustachian tube dysfunction, right metatarsalgia, and left metatarsalgia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to his active service, including as secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy and alcoholic neuropathy are rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of claim. The other issues have been addressed as per the decision.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his claim for a higher disability rating for residuals of a shell fragment wound to the left buttocks, muscle group XVII, and chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease remains at 40 percent. The effective date for the grant of a 20 percent disability rating for service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not entitled to an effective date prior to August 14, 2014, for the assignment of a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD with major depressive disorder. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral hip disabilities.

The Board has not made a fully-informed decision on the issue of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of a right total knee arthroplasty due to inadequate opinion from the VA examiner regarding the cause of the Veteran's current disabilities and leg length discrepancy.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied due to a lack of new and material evidence. On remand, the RO should consider his current service-connected disabilities and adjudicate the TDIU claim on its merits.

The Board denied service connection for respiratory, right ankle, left ankle, and neck disorders due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Specifically, the VA examinations found no evidence of a current respiratory disorder related to in-service asbestos exposure. The right and left ankle disorders were not found to be directly related to service or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.