Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD is granted at a 40 percent evaluation prior to August 16, 2018. The case is remanded for further development regarding the remaining issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding requests and lack of proper communication regarding a DRO hearing.

Service connection has been granted for allergic rhinitis.,The claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and TDIU have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim as he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, GERD, Barrett's esophagus, back disability, and bilateral hand/finger disability due to incomplete service records and inconsistencies in medical opinions.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's low back, right knee, neck, and right hand disabilities. This includes considering whether these conditions were aggravated by active duty service.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a left or right foot disability related to service, and has remanded for further examination and opinion regarding fibromyalgia, residuals of in-service gynecological conditions, low back disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The Veteran's back disability is granted as service connected due to an in-service injury and ongoing service duties.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU prior to November 8, 2016. The Board found that his employment history and education level were sufficient to support his claim of unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The hearing on his bilateral hearing loss claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's other specified trauma and stressor related disorder is granted a 50 percent rating, but no higher. The ratings for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and left lower extremity (LLE) sciatica are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board found the Veteran's lumbosacral strain, bilateral knee, and left foot disabilities worsened since a previous examination in August 2017, necessitating a new VA examination to determine their current severity. The pseudofolliculitis barbae issue is also remanded for clarification of its history and treatment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence to support the contention that his current disabilities began during active service or are related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability in any of the claimed joints, and the Veteran's reported symptoms are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 30 percent, and she is granted a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is granted as his condition had its onset during service and has been recurrent since.

The Veteran's initial rating for back disability was denied, and a higher rating is also denied. A 40% rating is granted effective July 19, 2021.,A separate rating for objective neurologic abnormality of radiculopathy of the left buttock associated with the back disability is remanded.