Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a thoracic spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active military service.

The Board has dismissed all appeals seeking service connection for various disabilities as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for his back and right knee disabilities have been granted, but the appeals for higher ratings are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include prostate disability, erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection claims for knee disorders and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including additional examinations to address service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle condition due to service-connected bilateral knee disability.,Service connection was granted for the low back condition as being due to service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the appellant's service-connected conditions alone do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including its onset in service or relation to any event or circumstance of his service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, and low back disability are all granted. The left knee and right knee disabilities receive a rating of 30 percent each.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to April 21, 2021 is being remanded due to the possibility that he was unemployable by reason of service-connected disabilities during that time.

The Veteran's lumbar spine IVDS is rated at a 60 percent rating, but no higher, due to the presence of incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and bilateral hand conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to September 29, 2011.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for insomnia, CFS, low back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to new evidence. However, these claims are being remanded as there is insufficient evidence on file to fully evaluate the Veteran's symptoms and determine their etiology.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 9, 2021 is denied.,The Veteran's increased rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss from February 9, 2021 is denied.,The Veteran's initial increased rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis prior to April 26, 2019 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for new examinations and evaluations of his service-connected disabilities. The issues include painful scars, torn meniscus, left knee strain with limitation of flexion, left knee strain with limitation of extension, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, left lower extremity, and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and compression fractures of T8-T10, status post lumbar fusion.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and right inguinal surgical scar were evaluated, with the latter receiving a non-compensable rating. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating for either condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder is reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and IBS are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right hand disability, right ankle disability, and sleep apnea. The decision found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for a back disability, and that the current disabilities were not incurred in or due to service.