Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability is being remanded for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the interrelated nature with the lumbosacral strain issue.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right hand/wrist condition is dismissed, and his appeals regarding service connection for radiculopathy affecting the bilateral lower extremities are granted with effective dates set at December 8, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back condition is granted.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating of 70 percent for unspecified depressive disorder, claimed as PTSD with anxiety, is granted.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition has been granted, and the issue of entitlement to a temporary total disability rating based on the need for hospitalization or convalescence due to a low back disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA examination due to the Veteran's incarceration and inability to attend previous examinations. The issues include increased disability ratings, initial disability ratings, and TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for back condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition.,There is no current evidence of a diagnosed disability in any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not meet the VA standards for a diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's claims for sleep condition other than obstructive sleep apnea, chronic headaches, lower back condition, bilateral knee condition, skin condition, and stomach condition are remanded due to insufficient evidence or inadequate opinions in previous examinations.,Further examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the addition of new evidence not previously considered by the AOJ.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hip pain, back condition, sciatica of the bilateral lower extremity, and left foot condition. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service or any other compensable factor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back disability, and a neck disability are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's Gulf War respiratory illness (chronic cough) is granted as it is directly related to his active-duty service.,Service connection for the Veteran's vestibular disorder is granted, with no specific exposure basis provided in the decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip disability and low back disability as secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability due to lack of evidence supporting such a relationship.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, and right knee disorder due to incomplete service treatment records and inadequate medical opinions. The case will be returned to VA for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and right knee disabilities due to insufficient VA examination reports, lack of review of the entire record, and need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability and right ankle disability as there is no evidence of a current disability or association with service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability is granted to a 40 percent rating. The case is remanded for further evaluation and consideration of the Veteran's TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus, right and left ankle disorders, right and left knee disorders, lumbar spine disorder, headache disorder, respiratory disorder, and sleep apnea due to outstanding development needs.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for lumbar strain and separated acromioclavicular joint (AC) of the right shoulder have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, effective September 11, 2023.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and cherry hemangioma are granted.,Cherry hemangioma is characterized as a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness of unknown etiology.