Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical spine disorder should be remanded due to inadequate examination and lack of consideration of all relevant diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to the need for VA examination reports and Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and left ankle disability are all being remanded for further review due to the need for additional evidence or clarification.

Your service connection claims for bilateral knee disabilities and a lumbar spine disability have been granted, but the appeal is dismissed as your issues are no longer pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection on appeal are remanded due to a lack of VA examinations and opinions. The Veteran is entitled to VA examinations to determine if she has any diagnosed conditions, and whether those conditions may be related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to burn pits and other toxins during his military service, including his MOS as a vehicle repairer. The case will be reviewed with additional medical opinions considering the synergistic effect of all toxic exposures.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical evidence confirming whether the Veteran's reported symptoms in 2013 and 2014 are consistent with radiculopathy. The case is now pending for further consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as his claim for TDIU. The Board found that there was no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of in-service injury or continuity of symptomatology related to these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether obesity is a substantial factor in causing or aggravating the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, and whether PTSD is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate examinations and insufficient treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, bilateral lower extremity nerve disability, and metastasized malignant thyroid cancer have been denied. The claim for compensation under the provision of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for metastasized medullary thyroid cancer as a result of VA treatment has been dismissed as moot.

The Board has determined that there is not enough evidence to support a current hearing disability for VA purposes, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The low back disorder issue was remanded due to inadequate reasoning in the previous opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and unspecified back condition due to incomplete National Guard records and insufficient VA examination. The AOJ is required to provide the Georgia National Guard with the date of the Veteran's discharge from his National Guard service, request that the Veteran's National Guard records be located, obtain additional Hearing Loss and Tinnitus VA examination reports, issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) considering these new evidence, and schedule a VA examination for the unspecified back condition.

The Veteran's low back disability was rated at 40% effective August 5, 2020. Prior to that date, the rating remained at 20%. The right and left sciatic nerve disabilities were each rated at 10% prior to April 4, 2020, and then increased to 20% thereafter.,The Board remanded the issue of service connection for memory loss due to new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a thoracolumbar spine disorder and left hip disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right hand disabilities did not begin during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease. Service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to November 8, 2016. He was also granted SMC at the housebound rate for his service-connected disabilities during this period.

The claim of service connection for degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, was reopened and denied. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran withdrew from appeal all issues related to service connection for various disabilities and an increased rating, resulting in the dismissal of these appeals.