Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board denied service connection for lower back condition, GERD, Crohn's disease, and generalized anxiety disorder as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and TDIU are being remanded due to the possibility of missing original claims filed at the time of his discharge in September 1992.

The Veteran's hysterectomy with residuals is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's loss of use of a creative organ (hysterectomy) is also granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right hip disability and a back disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for right and left foot disorders, a back disability, loss of voice including due to chronic laryngitis, and a left hand disorder were denied. The claim for increased ratings for the right knee instability and lost flexion was granted. A TDIU from February 26, 2015, to March 30, 2016, was granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis. The VA examiner did not address the Veteran's lay statements about an in-service injury and the records are incomplete.

The Board has determined that further clarification is needed regarding the Veteran's diagnoses of hip, back, and neck disabilities due to confusion in previous examinations. The case is being remanded for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further review of his service connection claims, initial rating claim, and TDIU claim.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted a 20 percent rating, and the issue of entitlement to a TDIU is granted. The issues of increased ratings for lumbar degenerative disc disease and left lower extremity radiculopathy are dismissed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder, elbow, hip, and back disorders. The issues related to entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) are remanded due to their inextricably intertwined nature with these grants.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine and bilateral hip disabilities, as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities. The Veteran's assertions of in-service injuries are being addressed with new medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disability. The case will be returned for further development and an adequate nexus opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, ankle, knee, and spine conditions due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran is not presumed to have had these conditions during his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding her low back, left knee, psychiatric, chemical exposure, skin cancer, genitourinary, hypothyroidism, and muscle damage disabilities. The appeals will be further evaluated based on the results of these examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury, and thus service connection for a back disability is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to incomplete records, including those from a private orthopedist and neurosurgeon. The TDIU issue is also deferred until the increased rating claim is resolved.

The Veteran seeks effective dates earlier than December 29, 2010 for the awards of service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease and headaches. The Board finds that these claims are remanded due to a lack of evidence showing entitlement prior to December 29, 2010.,For the remaining issues, including higher ratings for cervical degenerative disc disease and headaches, as well as TDIU, the Veteran's claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities make it impossible for him to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, resulting in a TDIU rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing service treatment records and lack of confirmation of the appellant's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). The appellant claims his low back condition was aggravated by a period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA service in March 2010. The Board will request additional records to confirm the appellant's periods of service.