Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and arthritis is denied as his disability does not warrant a higher than 20 percent rating. The claim for TDIU prior to March 21, 2015, is also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and back disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for further development regarding his claims of increased evaluations and a TDIU, as the AOJ did not properly consider the timeliness of the August 2008 Notice of Disagreement (NOD) in their initial decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the issuance of a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) to address his claims for increased rating and TDIU due to his back disability. The issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions from the November 2022 VA examiner. Additional addendum opinions are needed regarding the current severity of his back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy, including measurements of functional loss during flare-ups or repetitive use over time prior to December 2021.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and attempting to obtain any outstanding private medical records. The Veteran's service-connected conditions include PTSD, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis, lumbar strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, left lower extremity radiculopathy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and residual scars from the procedure.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, effectively dismissing the claims for service connection of left knee disability and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's lumbosacral DDD was rated at 20 percent from November 19, 2018 to November 10, 2020. The Board granted a 40 percent evaluation for this condition during the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period.,The Board remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to conflicting opinions on whether the condition is related to active service or secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the effective dates for increased ratings need to be corrected, and new examinations are required due to the passage of time since previous evaluations.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition and left ear hearing loss, finding no current disability. The case was remanded for further examination regarding the left knee condition.,The Veteran's claims for back and hearing loss conditions were not supported by evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including TBI, right knee disorder, low back disorder, PTSD, headaches, and skin disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records and private medical records from Carney Hospital.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for lumbar spine and bilateral foot disabilities has been denied. The issue of an initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to October 10, 2017, for service-connected lumbar spine disability remains pending.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a low back disorder due to inadequate VA examination and failure to obtain relevant private treatment records.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and headache disorders due to deficiencies in the VA examinations. The claims are being returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back condition. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a back condition, but the VA examiner concluded that it was not likely related to his time on active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claim for a thoracolumbar spine disability with DDD due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and National Guard/Army Reserve treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied as there was no current diagnosis or established link to service.,Right knee osteoarthritis and left knee osteoarthritis were also denied due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service.