Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are granted, with a 20% evaluation. The thoracolumbar spine disability is also granted, with a 20% evaluation.

The Board has ordered another medical opinion due to the need for additional evidence and clarification regarding the Veteran's low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his current disabilities and his military service. The Veteran is asked to provide additional medical research supporting his claims.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied. The criteria for the requested increased ratings were not met.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, left and right lower extremity disabilities, ED, left arm/left shoulder disability, and OSA. The issues are related to whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for higher disability evaluations due to a withdrawal request by the appellant's authorized representative.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for PTSD and a spinal column disability is granted, but the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran claims service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine. The Board finds that remand is necessary to provide an adequate medical opinion considering the Veteran's reports of chronicity of symptoms since service and statements from his niece, stepdaughter, and former chiropractor.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral strain and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is required to provide additional private treatment records, and a VA examination must be conducted to determine if his conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder, finding that it is proximately due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of bilateral lower extremities and TDIU prior to September 9, 2010 was denied. The Board found that there were no pending claims for these issues prior to September 9, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is proximately due to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and bilateral hallux valgus of feet, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for lumbar spine disorder due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee chondromalacia with degenerative joint disease and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from November 27, 2012. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative discogenic disease of the lumbar spine, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis have been granted.,The Board found that the evidence established a nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis and muscle strain of the lumbar spine does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent, as his forward flexion is no less than 40 degrees throughout the appeal period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran sustained additional disability as a result of his October 2016 VA RFA surgical procedure and if such disability is related to carelessness, negligence or similar incidence of fault on the part of the attending VA personnel.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for thoracolumbar spine strain, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent, and separate ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are granted.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his thoracolumbar spine and left lower extremity disabilities were denied, with the exception of a separate 20 percent rating granted for left lower extremity femoral nerve impairment.