Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include kidney condition, low back disability, neck disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, and hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine conditions, finding that these conditions are directly related to his active-duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to unclear factual records and need for additional evidence. The issues include hypertension, heart disorder, urinary tract disorders, thoracolumbar spine disorder, right hip disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, all potentially related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities are related to service, granting their claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for headaches, back disability, and lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a back disability and lower extremity radiculopathy to allow further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of any low back disability and whether it is related to service or other conditions.

The Veteran's claims for neck condition, back condition, and headaches have been denied. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder (APD) is remanded.

The Veteran is service-connected for multiple disabilities, including PTSD, cervical and lumbar spine conditions, and musculoskeletal issues. The Board found that the combination of these disabilities renders him unemployable but not solely due to any single disability. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has granted service connection for osteopenia, but the remaining issues on appeal are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions and missing records.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his service-connected right lower extremity radiculopathy and back disability need further development, including obtaining updated VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for low back disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral knee disability due to insufficient evidence. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to obtain jump and medical treatment records from Fort Bragg from 1982 through 1988. Additionally, a VA examination must be conducted to provide opinions on the onset and relationship of each condition to service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 50% prior to May 19, 2021 and 70% from that date. The Veteran also has a 70% rating for her service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder. A TDIU rating is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is at least as likely as not related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for rhinitis, sinusitis, and a low back disability as the evidence did not support that these conditions began during active service or were related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 21, 2009 for the award of service connection for his degenerative disease of the lumbar spine is denied. The March 2006 rating decision was final as it was mailed to the Veteran's address of record and there was no pending claim prior to August 21, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a seizure disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of a seizure disorder. For TDIU, the Veteran is granted as his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. SMC based upon need for aid and attendance or being housebound remains pending due to lack of recent VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal regarding the reopening of a lumbar spine disability claim and higher initial ratings for PTSD with unspecified MDD.

The Board has found that the medical opinions obtained by the AOJ are inadequate for adjudicative purposes and therefore, a further remand is necessary to allow the Veteran to fully develop his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for a low back disability and microscopic hematuria. The Veteran's claims are currently pending.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disability was granted. However, the claim itself remains denied as there is no evidence linking his current condition to his active military service.