Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the existence and etiology of several service-connected conditions, including hypertension, left knee disorder, aching joints, tinnitus, skeletal arthritis of the entire joint system, left elbow disorder, bilateral eye disorder (including sensitivity to light), right knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and bipolar disorder), right elbow disorder, and headache disorder. The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine and low back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service records indicate he was injured in-service, which may be relevant to his current conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his service, and thus denied service connection for this condition.,The Board has also determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's low back condition had its onset during active duty or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, and he is granted a TDIU effective February 1, 2019. The Board found the evidence did not support an increased rating for the low back disability or a higher rating for any other service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher, for the period prior to June 20, 2018. A rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for IVDS and DDD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to limited forward flexion, but no ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left wrist condition has been reopened, but the appeal is still pending. The VA is required to obtain an opinion on whether his sleep apnea is related to or aggravated by his service-connected allergic rhinitis and if he has any current skin condition. Additionally, the VA must provide examinations for his left wrist condition and lower back condition.

The Board has decided that service connection for a lumbar spine disability is denied, and the left ankle disability issue is remanded due to lack of prior X-ray studies.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative arthritis of the spine is remanded due to a need for additional medical examination and analysis.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased initial rating for PTSD and persistent depressive disorder has been withdrawn. The claims of service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, right ankle disability, lumbosacral spine disability, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the claim for psoriasis and remanded issues regarding whether new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim for plantar keratoderma (claimed as infection on feet) and entitlement to service connection for a back disability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for neurological disorders of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which may be related to his lumbar spine disability or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to conflicting medical opinions and need for additional development.

The Veteran's combined schedular evaluation for compensation was 80 percent prior to June 12, 2019, and 90 percent thereafter. The Board finds that remand is warranted for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his cervical spine disability as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine, bilateral foot, and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence supporting a causal relationship between these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck disability, including degenerative arthritis, cervical stenosis, cervical fusion with residual pain, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. Service connection was also granted for chronic lumbar strain.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including scoliosis and muscle spasms, as well as his cervical spine disability, which was claimed to be secondary to his lumbar spine disability. The Board found that there was no evidence of aggravation beyond natural progression during service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression). These issues are being remanded for further development.,New evidence received since previous decisions is sufficient to reopen the claims but does not establish service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine degenerative disc disease are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of recent medical evidence.