Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, and back disability are all granted. The Veteran is also remanded for additional examinations to address his headaches, major depressive disorder, and right knee contusion.

The Veteran's cervical, lumbar, and left shoulder disorders were not related to service. The Board found that the conditions did not begin in service or within one year after service, there was no continuity of symptomatology, and the conditions are otherwise not related to service.,The Veteran's skin disorder is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it preexisted service and was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, qualifying for TDIU. The claims for increased disability evaluations are remanded due to the failure to obtain relevant medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and requests an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's back disability and military service.

The Board has remanded the claim for an increased rating for a lumbar spine disability, as well as claims for higher initial ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The case is being returned to the Board for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his combined ratings are insufficient to qualify and he is capable of performing substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to September 15, 2016, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his low back disability, but remanded other issues including those related to fibromyalgia and CFS.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip and back disorders, as well as a shoulder disorder. The VA must obtain additional medical opinions to address the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's low back disability was initially rated at 10 percent from October 19, 2015, to March 28, 2022. Since then, a higher rating of 20 percent has been granted retroactively effective from May 17, 2018.

The Veteran's right wrist and right elbow disabilities are found to be related to service. The neck and back disabilities, as well as the right hip disability (secondary to a back disability), are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral feet, and ankles have been granted.,Service connection has also been established for major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for mechanical low back pain with residual muscle strain and his TDIU claim due to insufficient examination findings regarding functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability and whether it is related to her service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis with bilateral bunions and/or service-connected bilateral foot neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection for a headache disability are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining MRI results and a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's right ankle condition. The low back and respiratory conditions have been denied as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of these conditions during or shortly after service. The Veteran contends his current disabilities are related to jump training in service, but there is no medical evidence linking his current conditions directly to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and low back disabilities due to new evidence received. However, these claims are still pending as they have been remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings greater than 30 percent for each knee on and after May 6, 2021. The remaining issues of increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with a lumbar strain, status post anterior fusion; initial rating greater than 20 percent for RIGHT lower extremity radiculopathy prior to December 10, 2019 and on and after December 10, 2019; and temporary total rating under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 following lumbar spine surgeries have been remanded for further development.