Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining claims of service connection for a back disability, sinus disability, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea, neck disability, and back disability and his active service.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for a left index finger disability. The claims to reopen for service connection for left knee, heat-related, and right knee disabilities are granted. Service connection is denied for right knee, left knee, back, neck, and heat-related disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including consideration of new VA treatment records and hospitalization reports. The issues include rating adjustments for various conditions and service connection for additional disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, neck, left hip, and right hip disabilities due to incomplete personnel records from his Army National Guard service. The VA will obtain these records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to non-compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's lumbar disability claims are being reviewed, and a new addendum medical opinion is required.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, treatment records review, and consideration of new evidence. The effective date for left hand neuropathy is established as October 30, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine. The appeals for service connection for lumbar strain and degenerative changes of the cervical spine have been dismissed.

The Board has denied service connection for a psychiatric disability and a low back disability, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic lateral collateral and deltoid ligament sprains and chronic tendonitis of the left ankle is granted. The Board has also remanded claims for neck, back, left foot, and bilateral leg disorders due to insufficient examination records.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction and tension headaches are granted as secondary to service-connected anxiety.,Remaining issues of service connection for lumbar, cervical, thoracic spine disorders, left-hand disorder, right-hand disorder, paresthesia of the upper extremities, and sciatic pain are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's thyroid condition, but has remanded the issues of service connection for back, neck, and bilateral knee conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and service records. The Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA are also requested to be clarified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and medical opinions to determine the severity of his low back, right ankle, right knee, and bilateral feet disabilities. The claims are not currently decided on service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and bilateral foot disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran was unable to attend a VA examination and provided testimony describing his injuries during service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a 40 percent rating from November 6, 2017 to December 11, 2019. Since then, the claim for higher ratings has been denied. The Veteran also received separate 10 percent ratings for radiculopathy of both legs associated with her lumbar spine disability. She was granted a TDIU and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including VA examinations and medical opinions to assess his lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome and lumbar sprain with degenerative changes are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back and neck conditions, finding that these disabilities are at least as likely as not related to her active-duty service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine, migraine headache, left shoulder and neck, hiatal hernia without reflux also claimed as upper hernia, and lower hernia disabilities have been dismissed. The appeal of the glaucoma issue is remanded.