Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's right hip iliac bone graft harvest is granted a 10 percent rating. His lumbar spine disorder is also granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected right foot condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of her complete service treatment records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for lumbosacral and thoracic strain with degenerative arthritis prior to August 10, 2017, and greater than 20 percent effective that date.

The Veteran's claim for an initial higher rating for service-connected lumbar strain is being remanded due to deficiencies in the prior VA examination and need for another examiner's opinion regarding functional impairment.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, finding that it is not secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's lumbar strain, left knee osteoarthritis with tears of the ACL and MCL ligaments, nondisplaced fracture of the medial tibial spine, and probable osteochondral injury in the lateral femoral condyle, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) have all been granted service connection.,The Veteran's lumbar strain, left knee osteoarthritis with tears of the ACL and MCL ligaments, nondisplaced fracture of the medial tibial spine, and probable osteochondral injury in the lateral femoral condyle, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) have all been granted service connection.

The Veteran's low back disability was restored to a 40 percent evaluation.,Effective dates before June 1, 2015, were granted for the service connection of right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD has been rated as 10% prior to June 18, 2015 and as 20% thereafter. The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for PTSD and a back condition. The Veteran's claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar strain was rated at 10 percent prior to August 9, 2017 and denied a higher rating. After this date, the disability remains rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied as their disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in previous VA opinions and a need for further development, including another medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and erectile dysfunction, but denied a rating in excess of 20 percent from October 15, 2014, for lumbar spine disability. The TDIU claim is remanded.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 7, 2002 for the grants of service connection for PTSD, a lumbar spine condition, hypertension, tinnitus, and right ear hearing loss. The decision is based on evidence that suggests VA received the Veteran's claim in September or October 2002, despite no record of it being submitted.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for lumbar degenerative disc disease with herniated nucleus pulposus and spondylosis, radiculopathy of the LLE (sciatic nerve), and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings in all periods.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, including radiculopathy and degenerative disc disease, is found to be caused by his service-connected right femoral nerve neuropathy with right thigh rectus atrophy. An effective date of September 21, 2016, for the grant of a 20% rating is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have made him in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting SMC based on this need.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The claim will be reconsidered after additional development.

The Board has ordered another remand to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine symptomatology and whether it represents or represented at any point during the period on appeal the functional equivalent of ankylosis.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy as direct service-connected conditions.,Further, the Veteran's increased rating claim for low back disability is remanded due to inextricability with his TDIU claim.