Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has denied service connection for respiratory and digestive disabilities, as well as back and neck disabilities. The claim for a higher rating of left thumb disability is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits are denied. The Board found that the earliest date of entitlement to these benefits was May 24, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of secondary service connection for his neck disability, finding that it is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected residuals of dislocated left shoulder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral foot disabilities, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The evidence did not show an in-service disease or injury that led to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for dry eye syndrome and an increased rating for lumbosacral strain due to insufficient evidence on direct causation and inadequate VA examinations, respectively.

The Board has jurisdiction over the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure. The reduction of the Veteran's back rating is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back disorder and left leg radiculopathy due to conflicting medical opinions and incomplete factual information. The Veteran's active duty service records show treatment for lower back pain, but a VA examiner based their negative opinion on inaccurate facts.

The Board has remanded the claim for an additional VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is reopened, but the effective date earlier than March 18, 2014 is denied.,The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for right knee internal derangement and degenerative joint disease, scar, status post right medial meniscectomy, painful right knee scar, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and degenerative disc disease mild and facet arthropathy, mild L4-5, L5-S1 are all denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition is also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to their opt-in into the modernized review system.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's in-service onset and continued symptoms, as well as her contention that her neck disability is related to a bulging disc rather than degenerative disc disease. The VA examiner will be asked to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's neck disability had its onset in service or is otherwise attributable to service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection. The appeals are currently pending.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU was granted. The Veteran received a 20% rating from July 8, 2016 to July 7, 2017 for his lumbar spine disability. He also received TDIU prior to March 12, 2018.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back condition has been reopened, and the issue is remanded for further examination. The issues of an increased rating for residual fracture of the right little finger and service connection for PTSD have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lower back, right and left lower extremity neurological disabilities due to insufficient consideration of in-service motor vehicle accidents.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disability. The AOJ is instructed to obtain Social Security Administration records and schedule a new examination by a clinician not previously involved in the case.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development of his military and medical records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The appeal is limited to the initial compensable rating for status post recurrent heat exhaustion, which was denied.

The Veteran's initial rating for thoracolumbar strain is granted at a 40 percent, but not higher. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back pain and cervical spine disorders due to insufficient evidence regarding his in-service injuries and continuity of symptomatology.