Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records from Sutter Coast Hospital. The Veteran is required to provide consent forms and VA will attempt to obtain any outstanding private treatment records.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the need for additional medical examinations and records, including those related to PTSD, headaches, hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, heart disability, erectile dysfunction, and gonorrhea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to June 25, 2014, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back and neck disabilities, finding that they are related to his active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and insomnia disorder), but denied service connection for hypertension, eczema, and a low back disability. The decision is based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine and lower extremity disabilities due to incomplete records. The Veteran is also asked to provide additional information about his employment status.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, cardiovascular conditions, and left ear hearing loss have been granted. The remaining issues of service connection for headaches, back condition, prostate condition, bladder condition, kidney condition, hepatitis, and nicotine dependence are dismissed as the appeal is not about service connection at all.,The Veteran's claim for a back condition has been remanded due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the claims of TDIU and service connection for a lumbar disc disease due to additional development being required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a left shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions were related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for upper back, right ankle, and right knee disabilities due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.,Further development is needed to determine if any of these disabilities are related to the Veteran's service.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a back disability due to inadequate medical opinion and need for further development.

The Board has decided to remand three issues related to service connection for COPD, back injury, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The decision is pending further clarification from a medical opinion regarding the nature of any congenital conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient clarification on whether the Veteran's sciatic nerve disability is aggravated by his service-connected cervical spinal stenosis and whether it is secondary to his service-connected ALS. The examiner must provide a complete rationale for all proffered opinions.

The Veteran's claims for GERD, hypertension, a back disability, and bilateral foot disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 40 percent, but no higher. The effective date for service connection of radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities was set to March 16, 2020. The Veteran's increased ratings for these conditions are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for chronic lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder disability, and right knee disability due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active military service.,The Veteran's tinea pedis was also denied an initial compensable rating as the condition did not meet the criteria for a noncompensable rating under the General Rating Formula for the Skin.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40% since April 19, 2018. The rating was denied as the evidence did not show ankylosis or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome sufficient to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD, Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, and Left Forearm Disability due to the need for updated evaluations of their severity levels.

The Veteran's low back disability, right and left sciatic radiculopathies, and urinary retention issues have been granted increased ratings. The Veteran also received special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the case for compliance with August 2021 Remand directives, including obtaining updated treatment records and providing an additional VA examination.