Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and TDIU due to lack of evidence showing the Veteran's current condition is related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, bilateral knee, respiratory, and tremor disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous decisions.,Additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted as service-connected. The Board found the evidence sufficient to establish a link between his in-service vehicle accident and his current cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's seborrheic dermatitis, left ankle strain, and low back disability were evaluated. The seborrheic dermatitis was found to not warrant a compensable rating due to its limited extent of affected skin.,For the left ankle strain, the Veteran did not meet criteria for a higher rating as his range of motion remained within normal limits with no significant effects on occupation.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU from July 23, 2012 to October 7, 2014 is remanded due to the incorrect referral of evidence and lack of substantial compliance with the Board's previous remand.

The Veteran's back disability, neck disability, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy have been granted service connection.,An effective date earlier than July 24, 2017 for the increased 50 percent evaluation for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has not been met.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to properly adjudicate the claim for service connection of a low back disorder due to incomplete consideration of all relevant evidence, including lay testimony.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease. The conditions are considered direct service connections based on the Veteran's in-service symptoms and current diagnoses.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal of the lower back condition and remanded the GERD claim for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA opinions and further development is required, including obtaining additional treatment records and providing an addendum opinion from a qualified clinician.

The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is now rated at 20 percent, effective November 18, 2021. The rating for thoracolumbar strain remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for low back disorder was granted with a 20% evaluation effective February 4, 2016. The issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to July 9, 2010 is dismissed.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities associated with his service-connected low back disorder was granted with a 20% evaluation effective February 4, 2016. The issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to July 9, 2010 is dismissed.

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities. Additionally, all relevant medical records from SSA must be obtained for consideration in the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's full-time employment as a police officer throughout the appeal period means he cannot be granted a TDIU, even though his lumbar spine disability causes him difficulty with prolonged sitting and standing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back condition is aggravated by his service-connected knee condition, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been granted, including degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine, arthritis in both knees, radiculopathy affecting both upper extremities, right ear hearing loss, migraine headaches, depressive disorder, and erectile dysfunction.,Service connection is established for all claimed conditions due to their direct link to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate 2020 VA back examination and ordered a new examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's back condition was not manifested by forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less, and there was no ankylosis. Therefore, a higher rating is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability, but has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are granted as service connected, with the onset occurring during active duty for training (ACDUTRA). The Board found that there was sufficient evidence to support the claim of service connection.