Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded several issues related to the appellant's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for lumbar spine disability and lower extremity radiculopathy.,No effective date is assigned as the claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of Reserve service and obtaining VA treatment records. A new examination will be conducted to determine the nature and etiology of any current back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his lower back and leg conditions, as well as the relationship between his coccyx fracture and these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no persuasive weight of evidence to support these claims.,The Board noted that while the Veteran reported in-service back pain and knee conditions, post-service medical records did not show development of these conditions within a year after service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, TMJ disability, back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability have been granted. The decision also denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection on the merits is remanded due to new evidence showing chronic back pain since discharge. Other claims are also remanded for VA examinations and opinions regarding potential service connection.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis, as well as his low back disability (intervertebral disc syndrome), have been granted service connection. A 40 percent rating has been assigned for the low back disability prior to September 3, 2019.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's low back disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for his lumbar spine disability is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The original rating reduction decision from January 2018 was found invalid as it did not comply with substantive requirements.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current low back disability is related to service, and also for consideration of secondary service connection for left hip disability.

The Veteran's mixed sleep apnea is granted as a MUCMI. The right knee, bilateral hearing loss, and psoriasis disabilities are denied due to lack of current diagnoses. The low back and left knee disabilities are also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a lumbar spine condition due to insufficient evidence in the VA opinions provided. The Veteran asserts that his current conditions are related to injuries sustained during service, but the VA examiners have not addressed these specific points.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for sinusitis and low back disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether these conditions pre-existed service or are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate statement of reasons and bases for its estimated loss of degrees of range of motion during flare-ups for the period prior to March 22, 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition, finding it related to an in-service fall and head injury. The Veteran's degenerative arthritis is also considered directly related to service.

The Board denied an effective date prior to April 6, 2015, for the grant of service connection for a lumbar spine strain, loss of lordosis and degenerative disc disease due to lack of relevant evidence within one year of the November 2013 rating decision.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is rated at 10 percent prior to August 20, 2019 and denied for a higher rating. Since August 20, 2019, the Veteran's condition is rated at 40 percent and also denied for a higher rating. The Board has remanded issues regarding service connection for shoulder conditions and cervical spine.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability have been reopened. However, the Board finds that there is no evidence to support service connection for any of these conditions.,Service connection was denied as there is insufficient evidence linking any current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, and the case was remanded for further development. The low back disability claim is currently under review.

The Veteran's neck, eye, asthma, left ankle, and acquired psychiatric disorder claims are remanded for further development.,A VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current neck disability.