Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including a lumbar disorder, dental disorders, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, insomnia, and anxiety), headaches, and dry eye syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The reasons given were that the evidence did not establish a chronic disease during service or within one year of separation, and there was no causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral spine disorder, right lower extremity sciatic nerve disorder, and left lower extremity sciatic nerve disorder due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of a back disability due to insufficient rationale in the VA medical opinion provided.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of May 11, 2013 for the awards of service connection for various conditions including PTSD and major depressive disorder with TBI residuals, migraine headaches, left knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia patella, right knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia patella, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, tinnitus, and scars of the bilateral knees, left calf (other impairment).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new VA examinations and medical opinions regarding his low back disorder and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities due to insufficient examination reports. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which he contends are related to injuries sustained in service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature and etiology of his left elbow condition, cubital tunnel syndrome, shoulder condition, back condition, knee condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, eye condition, neuropathy of the hands, and neuropathy of the feet.,The Veteran's appeal is also remanded for an examination and opinion regarding his bilateral cubital tunnel syndrome (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome).,The Veteran's appeal is also remanded for an examination and opinion regarding his shoulder condition.,The Veteran's appeal is also remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his back condition.,The Veteran's appeals are all remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature and etiology of his knee, eye, hand, and foot conditions.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (cyclothymic disorder and PTSD) appeal is also remanded for an examination and opinion regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's appeals are all remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature and etiology of his eye condition.,The Veteran's appeals are all remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature and etiology of his hand and foot conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder and remanded it due to need for further examination. The Veteran's claim for hypertrophic scar on the right shoulder is granted.

The Board denied service connection for low back, left and right elbow, left and right knee disabilities, as well as insomnia and OSA. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the medical evidence presented.,Service treatment records did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions. Post-service medical records indicated that the Veteran was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral elbow (and tricep tendonitis), and knee strain.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to incomplete medical records and insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of her claimed disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding increased ratings for hiatal hernia, PTSD with nightmare disorder, and lumbosacral strain. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's service records indicate a back injury during service, and he now claims his current condition is related to this incident.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to June 3, 2019, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was previously rated at 10% prior to November 20, 2018. From November 20, 2018, to July 30, 2020, the rating was increased to 20%. Since then, a higher rating has not been granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome and lumbar scars has been remanded due to the need for additional examination to assess the severity of these conditions. The initial compensable rating for the lumbar scar condition is granted, but the issue of a higher rating for IVDS remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his low back disability due to an inadequate VA examination report. The case is now pending and will be reviewed with new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claim for an increased rating for service-connected low back disability from April 13, 2015, to January 7, 2019 due to inadequate examinations and need for updated treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, a neck condition, and back problems with arthritis were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,An earlier effective date claim for PTSD with cognitive disorder, not otherwise specified, alcohol dependence, and status post concussive head injury was dismissed as it is not legally viable.

The Board has remanded the case due to new VA clinical documentation received after the November 2019 statement of the case. The Veteran was notified and had the opportunity to waive review, but did not respond.