Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Veteran's back condition is not etiologically related to service.,The Veteran's left shoulder condition is not etiologically related to service.,The Veteran has not had a diagnosed seizure disorder or seizures at any time during the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete VA examinations and a need to consider whether range of motion results from prior examinations would have been reduced if tested in both active and passive motion and in weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability due to inadequate medical opinion and other procedural issues.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a back disability, sciatica of the left lower extremity, and sciatica of the right lower extremity due to insufficient evidence in the VA examination report.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his thoracolumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including VA treatment records from November 2021. The claims are being remanded for further examination and readjudication.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation, service connection for a neck condition, and service connection for migraine headaches are remanded due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 21, 2011.

The Board has dismissed the issue of service connection for high cholesterol. Service connection for tuberculosis, PTSD, left ear hearing loss, heart disability, hypertension, and back disability is denied. These issues are remanded.

The Board denied initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for lumbar radiculopathy affecting both lower extremities, finding the Veteran's condition to be mild throughout the appeal period.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: an increased rating for neoplasm, malignant, left lumbar flank with scar and service connection for a left hip condition. The Veteran's disability is believed to have worsened since her last VA examination, and she did not attend the scheduled examination for her claimed left hip condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and bilateral lower extremity sciatica, finding that his conditions preexisted service and were not aggravated by active duty. The claim was also denied on secondary basis as the sciatica is related to his nonservice-connected low back condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine disability as new and material evidence was not received within one year of the July 2013 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a low back disability, finding that additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for a back disability should be remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination findings and requests for additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back disability and cervical spine disability due to new evidence showing worsening of these conditions. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it was recently raised by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence regarding his service-connected tension headaches, lumbar degenerative disc disease, right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, and lichen planus. The appeals for increased ratings are being remanded as well.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD and lumbar spine disability) caused or aggravated his obesity, which then led to his obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities due to inadequate previous VA examination.