Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for migraines from February 10, 2011 to June 21, 2018. The remaining issues regarding the Veteran's low back disability and TDIU are remanded.

The appeal for service connection of a lumbar spine condition and associated radiculopathy is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, a back disability secondary to bilateral pes planus, right knee disability, and left knee disability (secondary to right knee) due to irregularities in scheduling examinations.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder is remanded. The appeal for bilateral hearing loss and right wrist disability rating higher than 10 percent is also remanded.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent prior to February 10, 2022, and denied a higher rating.,Prior to August 23, 2020, the Veteran's low back disability was rated at 20 percent and denied a higher rating. From that date onwards, it was rated at 40 percent and also denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's back disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis of the spine, is found to have started during his active service and has been continuous since then. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for right carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment records. The TDIU claim remains pending and will be readjudicated after all evidence has been considered.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as they have withdrawn their remaining issue on appeal, which was the claim for a higher disability rating for service-connected depressive disorder associated with lumbar spine fusion.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for right knee and lower back disorders, as they are related to a left total knee replacement with arthritis. The VA will need to provide new medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence being obtained by VA, and the RO should review this additional evidence and provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.

The Veteran's back disorder is being remanded for further evaluation due to insufficient information provided in the previous VA examination. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's DDD of the cervical spine, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted increased ratings. SMC at the housebound rate has also been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remands and inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for a left hip disability, including as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran did not report any back problems during service and had no history of recurrent back pain at separation. The September 2020 VA examiner concluded that any in-service back pains were acute and resolved by separation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, neck, bilateral shoulder, and asthma disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The claims are inextricably intertwined with her other service-connected conditions.

The Board has reopened a claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and remanded the claims for right and left leg disabilities as secondary to this condition.

The Board denied service connection for a degenerative disc and a separate compensable back disability, as well as TDIU. The Veteran's current back disabilities are not linked to his period of service.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service and did not manifest within one year of separation. The claim was also denied on secondary basis as there was no evidence linking the lumbar spine disorder to his service-connected left hip disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to October 10, 2018 due to a lack of evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability, finding that it is etiologically related to his military service and not due to any pre-existing condition.