Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions provided in previous examinations and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and low back disabilities, finding that further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are proximately due or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has granted the veteran's TDIU claim since November 20, 2008. The case is remanded for consideration of a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to November 20, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's back and right hip disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to service-connected knee disabilities.,The Veteran's right hip disability is also being remanded for further examination to determine if it is related to service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc and joint disease is rated at 40 percent since July 23, 2009. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and low back disability due to the evidence being at least in equipoise that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during military service.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for a left hip disability and back disability. The case is remanded to obtain addendum opinions addressing secondary service connection and direct service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to new evidence received since the last Statement of the Case. The claims will be readjudicated in a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left ankle disorder and lumbosacral disorder are granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his lumbar spine disability was dismissed due to the death of the claimant.

The Board has vacated the portion of its April 2019 decision that denied service connection for a back disability and sleep apnea, as the Veteran was not provided an opportunity to present his case at a hearing. The claims are now REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's appeal of the claim for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for a back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and low back disabilities due to insufficient development in previous decisions. The case will be reviewed with additional medical opinions to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are being remanded due to a lack of recent VA examination.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The rating reduction for right lower extremity radiculopathy from 40 to 20 percent was not proper, and the 40 percent rating is restored effective June 11, 2016.,For the appeal period from March 1, 2016 to June 11, 2016, a higher than 20% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve is denied.,A higher than 20% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the femoral nerve is remanded.,A higher than 40% rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability. The issues of increased ratings for the lumbar spine disability, GERD, and hypopigmented lesions are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and insufficient development of evidence. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a spine disability, including cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II is being returned for further action.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for restoration of his former 20 percent ratings for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities associated with cervical spine disability, effective December 1, 2018. The TDIU claim is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, and right foot disabilities are currently pending.