Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for pes planus, bilateral knee disabilities, and back disability due to incomplete development. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding whether these conditions had an onset in service or are related to service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for a left shoulder disability and 40 percent for lumbar strain myositis (lower back disability), to include on an extraschedular basis, as these issues are now part of the modernized review system.

The Board denied service connection for a lower gastrointestinal disorder (IBS), sinusitis with rhinitis, type II diabetes mellitus, and low back disorder. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active duty or National Guard service.,Service connection was also denied for right and left knee disorders due to lack of evidence linking the current conditions to service.

The Veteran's back disability is granted a 20 percent rating effective from March 16, 2011. The left ankle disability remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar strain, left ankle strain, and left knee disability based on the Veteran's lay reports of symptoms starting in service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and intervertebral disc syndrome were rated at 40 percent from October 5, 2016 to December 17, 2019.,Since December 18, 2019, a rating in excess of 40 percent for these conditions has not been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, right ankle injury, right shoulder injury, and low back injury due to potential outstanding service treatment records. The psychiatric disability claim is also remanded for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to new evidence indicating an increase in severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and unclear employment history.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from being able to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from January 1, 2018. The Board granted a TDIU effective January 1, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in evaluating the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine and lumbosacral strain. A new VA opinion is needed to consider the ameliorative effects of medication on the disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further action on the rating of the lumbar spine disability, as well as service connection issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back disorder and left shoulder disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a back condition, a left shoulder condition, and an increased rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in duty-to-assist and a need for additional medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease and scoliosis, as secondary to his service-connected anterior thigh status post gunshot wound left thigh.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back condition and sleep disturbances are not service-connected, with the exception of the recharacterized Tinnitus. The case is being remanded to obtain clarification on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep disturbance symptoms.

The Veteran's lumbar disability is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that it was incurred during his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for a low back disability due to insufficient evidence and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected right knee condition, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death, and the Board does not have jurisdiction over the case.