Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has ordered a remand to address the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, specifically regarding functional loss and whether it represents ankylosis. The claim is being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for back and left knee disorders due to a lack of medical nexus opinions addressing the cumulative impact injuries during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back and knee disabilities, as well as his claim for service connection for a left hip disability. The Veteran will need updated VA treatment records and examinations to determine the current severity of these conditions and whether they are related to service.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5243.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability and bilateral leg condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his disabilities. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, and back disability. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a right foot skin condition is remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease, left and right lower leg radiculopathy are being remanded for additional development to determine the appropriate disability ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of increased ratings for low back disability, right ankle disability, and psychiatric disability due to additional VA medical records being added to the claims file.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability and MDD/GAD secondary to his service-connected disabilities is granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service injuries, with continuity of symptoms since discharge.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right great toe ingrown toenail and low back disability due to insufficient medical opinions addressing aggravation of pre-existing conditions during service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's back and bilateral foot disabilities, finding that there was insufficient evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as his OSA, were granted service connection. The cardiovascular and respiratory conditions are remanded for further examination.,Service connection was established for the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is related to his military service and granted. The cervical strain, peripheral neuropathy in all four extremities are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he can tolerate sedentary or physical work environments that don't involve heavy lifting and prolonged sitting.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to September 1, 2017 due to her employment as a certified nurse assistant with VA. The Veteran worked until September 2017 and stopped working because she was no longer able to perform the physical and mental requirements of gainful activity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include evaluating his bilateral pes planus, determining if a right ankle condition is secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus, assessing whether a bilateral shoulder condition is related to service or service-connected conditions, and examining if a lumbar spine condition is linked to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left shoulder disability, and back disability have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.,Service connection has not been established for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted for the entire period on appeal, as he meets the schedular criteria and his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for right knee meniscal tear status post meniscectomy with degenerative arthritis, and whether obesity was caused or aggravated by her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has restored a 20% disability rating for service-connected right lower extremity radiculopathy effective December 11, 2018. The remaining claims are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.