Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's back disability, which manifested with pain and limited motion, including forward flexion to less than 30 degrees or the functional equivalent of ankylosis, is now rated at 40 percent effective since March 11, 2012.

The Board has denied service connection for a right leg condition and remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability and an increased rating for PTSD. The Veteran's claims are now pending with VA.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and requests for additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine condition, and sleep apnea. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss without his hearing aids, assess the nature and etiology of his lumbar spine condition, and obtain a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his sleep apnea and service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's DDD of the thoracolumbar spine should be rated higher than 20 percent. However, due to inadequate examinations performed in 2016 and 2022, the case is being remanded for a new examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations. The issues include anxiety, depression, a low back disability, and a right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder due to new evidence submitted since previous decisions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's OSA, left shoulder and low back disabilities are related to his service. As a result, the claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has ordered remand of her claims for right hip/right leg disorder, left hip/left leg disorder, back disorder, right leg numbness, left leg numbness, and ovarian cysts.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep disorder, lumbar spine strain, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, left and right knee strains, migraine headaches, other residuals of TBI, and other specified trauma and/or stressor-related disorder may be related to his service in Southwest Asia or secondary to a service-connected disability. The Board has also noted that the Veteran's employment history needs to be verified for the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including OSA, lumbar degenerative disc disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, and anxiety disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and experience.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for PTSD, lumbar spine degenerative changes, and right shoulder impingement syndrome. The VA will obtain any relevant Vet Center records and schedule the Veteran for a comprehensive examination to assess the severity of his conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hearing loss is denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of increased ratings for back, left knee, left foot, and right foot disabilities due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and neck/upper back disability have been denied. The case is remanded for further examination to determine the nature of the Veteran's neck condition and any acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's right leg disability is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the August 2020 medical opinion. The Board will request an updated VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran has an additional hip disability and whether it was caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill or similar incidence on the fault of VA.,The Veteran's LBBB is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the August 2020 medical opinion. The Board will request an updated VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran has ischemic heart disease and whether it was caused by herbicide exposure or right leg disability.,The Veteran's RLE radiculopathy is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the August 2020 medical opinion. The Board will request an updated VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran has ischemic heart disease and whether it was caused by herbicide exposure or right leg disability.,The Veteran's LLE radiculopathy is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the August 2020 medical opinion. The Board will request an updated VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran has ischemic heart disease and whether it was caused by herbicide exposure or right leg disability.,The Veteran's LBBB is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the August 2020 medical opinion. The Board will request an updated VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's LBBB is aggravated by his service-connected right leg disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right hip, and left hip disorders due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine condition and his current degenerative disease of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's back disorder is not found to be secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.,There is no current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of this condition.

The Veteran's back disability is related to his active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected insomnia is granted as secondary to his back condition and tinnitus. The Veteran's increased rating for his service-connected back condition remains at 40 percent.