Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's hypertension, back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are all found to be related to service. The appeal is granted for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of his hearing testimony regarding the onset and continuity of his back pain symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, periodontal disease, back disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right knee strain, and left knee strain has been denied. The Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions at the time of his claims.,Service connection was also denied for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board denied service connection for low back disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied on a secondary basis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hernia service connection, back disability rating, and LLE radiculopathy claim due to incomplete information in the medical records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left shoulder disability has been dismissed. The Board also remanded several other claims related to various disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his lumbar strain with lumbar disc disease due to incomplete VA examinations and outstanding records. The Veteran will be scheduled for a new examination to determine the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, left knee disability, tinnitus, inguinal hernia, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical degenerative disc disease, right arm and shoulder disability, and left arm and thumb disability due to new evidence that may be relevant to his service connection claims.

The Board denied a rating higher than 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that his flexion was not limited to 30 degrees or less and there was no unfavorable ankylosis. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not have IVDS with incapacitating episodes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, left knee, and back disabilities due to inadequate examination reports. Additional examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's lower back disability and his service, including airborne training and combat paratrooper experience.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability resulted in forward flexion functionally limited to 30 degrees from June 7, 2011, to April 13, 2015. The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for this period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, lumbar intradural lesion, and epidermoid cysts due to new evidence received since previous decisions. The claims are now pending before the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine disorder and psychiatric disorder due to additional development being needed. The case will be reviewed again after the requested information is obtained.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and entitlement to TDIU prior to February 11, 2020 were denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates were denied as the earliest date of factually ascertainable disability was March 18, 2018, for RLE radiculopathy and March 22, 2015, for left hip strain.,An increased rating for lumbar strain remains pending with a remand for further examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DJD and strain is currently rated at 20 percent, effective February 6, 2019. The Board has found the evidence insufficient to grant a higher rating for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 13, 2017. The Board granted TDIU for this period but remanded the issue of TDIU prior to July 13, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, right wrist disability, and left ankle disability have all been denied as there is no current evidence of a service-connected disability.,There are no findings or diagnoses of any current disabilities related to the claimed conditions in the record.