Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar stenosis and degenerative arthritis, as well as bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to these conditions. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service heavy lifting duties and his current diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected back disability is remanded. The left wrist disability secondary to the back disability is also referred to the RO.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a 40 percent rating prior to December 30, 2019 and denied any increase in rating from that date. The decision is based on the current manifestations of his service-connected degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues with his right and left knee disorders, right ankle disorders, low back disorder, and chest pain condition. The claims are inextricably intertwined as they all relate to the same period of active service.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the period from August 30, 2011, to April 26, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment since May 19, 2005. The Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hypertension, lower back disability, neck disability, and right shoulder disability. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted a 40 percent rating effective from March 15, 2013.,A separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back, neck, brain, left arm, and left leg disabilities due to service connection. The issues are related to whether these conditions had their onset during or were otherwise caused by his military service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a 40% rating for the period prior to December 23, 2017, and from December 23, 2017, to March 1, 2021. The claim for a higher rating is denied for the period after March 1, 2021.

All issues on appeal are granted. Service connection is established for sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected PTSD, back disability (including arthritis due to trauma and degenerative arthritis), polycythemia (claimed as leukemia) due to presumed herbicide exposure from Gulf War service, and heart disability due to presumed herbicide exposure from Gulf War service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period prior to May 19, 2017 was denied as he had been employed full-time and earned more than the poverty threshold during this time.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened and granted.,Service connection is also granted for the Veteran's back disability characterized as chronic back pain with scoliosis.

All claims of increased rating and effective date have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in May 2022.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and a special home adaptation grant need to be remanded due to insufficient evidence from recent VA examinations.

The Board has decided that the Appellant's right ear hearing loss is related to his service. The left hip and back disabilities are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA opinion and potential missing medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being reviewed again.

The Veteran's back disability was restored to a 20 percent rating from March 4, 2016, to January 4, 2022. A higher rating is denied throughout the period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his lumbar spine disability and related radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 4, 2010. The Board granted entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.