Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for right femoral neck stress fracture, right knee strain, and lumbosacral strain due to incomplete development of records and need for retrospective medical opinions regarding functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and lumbar spine disabilities, as these conditions have already been granted in a prior rating decision. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left wrist disability is denied due to lack of evidence showing it began during service or was related to an in-service injury. The Board has also dismissed the Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability prior to March 15, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee surgical scar, left knee osteoarthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, post total right knee replacement, left knee instability, mild osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to lack of updated medical records and need for VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease and spondylosis (back disability). The issues of service connection for a bilateral knee disability, lumbar radiculopathy, and cervical spine disability are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, headaches, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with degenerative arthritis, lumbar back disability with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and lower left extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records. The right shoulder condition, back conditions (lumbar spine and cervical), and left knee condition are all being reviewed as secondary to his service-connected right knee condition.

The appeal on the low back condition was dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) from May 7, 2012 to February 25, 2013 and on and after July 22, 2020. The case is being referred to the Director of the Compensation Service for consideration of entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine, right knee, and segmental dysfunction of the pelvis disabilities. Service connection was denied for cholecystectomy with residual digestive issues.

The appeal of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is dismissed.,New and material evidence having been submitted, the claim of entitlement to service connection for right hip disability is reopened, and to this extent only the appeal is granted.,New and material evidence having been submitted, the claim of entitlement to service connection for left hip disability is reopened, and to this extent only the appeal is granted.,New and material evidence having been submitted, the claim of entitlement to service connection for low back disability is reopened, and to this extent only the appeal is granted.,New and material evidence having been submitted, the claim of entitlement to service connection for right hand disability is reopened, and to this extent only the appeal is granted.,The claims of entitlement to service connection for left shoulder disability and right shoulder disability (fracture fragment of the right acromioclavicular joint) are remanded.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for urinary incontinence, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability are granted. The claim for sinusitis is dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of her appeal.,The Veteran's right ankle disability claim is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and bilateral foot disorders due to incomplete compliance with prior remand instructions. The addendum opinions are needed to address the applicability of the medical literature submitted by the Veteran, as well as the inconsistency in the February 2022 VA opinion regarding causation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from South Pointe.

The Veteran's lumbar radiculopathy, right lower extremity, is granted a rating of 40 percent from April 7, 2015, to July 27, 2016. Ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to April 7, 2015, and in excess of 20 percent from July 28, 2016, are denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left shoulder strain, left ankle sprain, right knee sprain with patellar dislocation, and lumbosacral strain are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no causal relationship between his current back disability and service. The VA examiner concluded that the in-service complaints of back pain were acute and unrelated to the current DDD.

The Veteran's GERD with duodenitis, chronic strain and DJD of the left shoulder, left wrist scaphoid fracture ORIF with residuals, DJD and DDD of the cervical spine, DDD of the lumbosacral spine, onychomycosis (fungus infection of the feet), and hypertension have all been denied.,The Veteran's disability ratings for GERD with duodenitis, chronic strain and DJD of the left shoulder, left wrist scaphoid fracture ORIF with residuals, DJD and DDD of the cervical spine, DDD of the lumbosacral spine, onychomycosis (fungus infection of the feet), and hypertension have all been denied.,The Veteran's disability ratings for GERD with duodenitis, chronic strain and DJD of the left shoulder, left wrist scaphoid fracture ORIF with residuals, DJD and DDD of the cervical spine, DDD of the lumbosacral spine, onychomycosis (fungus infection of the feet), and hypertension have all been denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and his sarcoidosis is rated at 10 percent. The claims for increased ratings are denied.

The Board dismissed all service connection appeals due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and medical opinions due to incomplete records and inadequate previous opinions.