Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of left ankle injury was denied.,Service connection for the Veteran's back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were all denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to inadequate nexus opinions.,Specifically, new medical opinions are needed on direct and secondary theories of entitlement.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, which may be related to service or his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The Veteran will need a supplemental opinion from an appropriate clinician.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied in a May 2010 rating decision. The appeal to reopen the claim is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of current diagnosis during the appeal period.,Service connection for a low back disability and gout are remanded due to lack of VA examination addressing their etiology.,The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, tinnitus, low back disability, and gout remain denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee disability, back disability, and neck disability due to incomplete development. The claim for secondary service connection for a psychiatric disability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and an increased rating for asthma. The Board has found that the Veteran meets the schedular requirements for TDIU, but remanded for further development regarding his asthma claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to jurisdictional issues and requests for additional records related to the Veteran's low back disability, including those from the Veterans Choice Program. The claim will be adjudicated again under a direct theory of entitlement.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for lumbar spine DDD, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee status-post ACL reconstruction, and right knee instability due to inadequate retrospective medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for lumbar spine, bilateral lower extremity, and bilateral foot disabilities due to a May 2013 InterStim trial study performed at the Houston VA Medical Center.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and a thoracolumbar spine (low back) disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not related to his military service.,For the period prior to November 19, 2018, the criteria for higher disability ratings for left knee instability and limitation of motion were also denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease is remanded due to inadequate examination and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been dismissed as the Veteran's authorized representative withdrew all issues on appeal in a July 2022 letter.

The Board has denied service connection for low back and sciatic nerve disorders as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions had their onset during or were related to active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and insufficient medical opinion linking his current degenerative disc disease to military service. The skin condition claim is remanded.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his service-connected low back strain and right knee patellar dislocation with chronic strain, as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for limitation of right knee flexion. The remand includes obtaining new examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has withdrawn the issue of service connection for a back disability due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The issues of service connection for a respiratory disability and a compensable rating for hypertension are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted a TDIU from September 27, 2011 to August 7, 2012 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities making it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, a back disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The rating for the respiratory disability is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.