Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU due to inadequate examinations, missing VA treatment records, and Social Security disability records. The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability and a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act, is granted. The other issues are remanded and will be considered further.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted for tinnitus, schizophrenia, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The remaining issues remain denied.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for low back disorder with left leg numbness due to insufficient evidence in the current record.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The conditions are related to in-service exposure to noise and injury.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbosacral strain, left shoulder disability, and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee sprain has been granted. The claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain, a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine condition and associated radiculopathy of the lower extremities are remanded due to insufficient examination findings and need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his thoracolumbar strain and radiculopathy disabilities was denied. The rating for the back disability remains at 20 percent, effective August 18, 2008. Separate evaluations for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy were also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and ordered a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is related to his service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA examinations and new evidence is needed for a determination of service connection.

The Veteran's initial claim for increased rating was granted, and he is now receiving a 20 percent rating for his back disability. However, the appeal for a higher rating after June 14, 2012 remains denied.

The Veteran's upper back disability is granted service connection. The right and left upper extremity disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or functional impairment.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found no causal relationship between the current disability and an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of PTSD was denied, and the Board found that his competency determination did not warrant a higher rating. The appeals for service connection of right shoulder, left shoulder, and lumbar spine disabilities were remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for an additional VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and remanded the issues of cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, bilateral hip disabilities as secondary to a thoracolumbar disability. The TDIU issue is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating of lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylolysis L5-S1 is denied as the current ratings adequately reflect his disability level.