Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and a supplemental opinion regarding the Veteran's back disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, finding that she failed to report for scheduled VA examinations and did not provide good cause for her absences. The appeals were dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), and left shoulder strain have been granted. The Veteran is now rated at the maximum 40 percent disability rating for his lumbar spine condition.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right shoulder disability and low back disability due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's reported history of injury during service. The Veteran is asked to provide an accurate history, and any corroboration he may have for this incident.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for high cholesterol, an increased rating for tinnitus, and earlier effective dates for hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, left and right ankle disorders, headaches, sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, finding that his current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine is related to his military service and that he had a current disability during the appeal period.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives regarding his low back condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inaccurate factual premise in the VA examiner's opinion and the Veteran's testimony about other in-service back injuries not documented in service records.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for his lumbar spine, right knee, and right ankle disabilities are denied. The case is remanded to determine service connection for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition on the basis of substitution, finding it less likely than not that the Veteran's back condition was incurred in or related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left hip strain with arthritis, right hip strain with arthritis, and DDD were denied as the evidence did not show that her conditions warranted a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and requests for additional information.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that there is no medical evidence linking the current condition to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability, low back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and traumatic brain injury due to incomplete opinions from previous VA examiners. The claims are now pending with the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the claims for a thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, sleep apnea syndrome, and bilateral foot disability due to additional evidentiary development being required.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, obstructive sleep apnea, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and lumbar spine degenerative changes at L4-5 due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between obesity and these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition, a left shoulder condition, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine.,The preponderance of evidence did not support finding that any of these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is reopened, but the issue of whether his current back disability was incurred during active service remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.