Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lower back condition and chronic headaches are not service-connected. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and right ear hearing loss have been reopened. Service connection for right ear hearing loss has been granted with a 20% rating. The lumbar spine disability is rated at 20%, while the left ankle disability is rated at 10%. Other issues are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms and treatment.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine condition was rated at 10 percent prior to November 7, 2019, and a higher rating is denied. Since then, the Veteran has been granted a 20 percent disability rating for his left lower extremity radiculopathy.,For the period since September 27, 2021, the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's low back disorder, as well as additional efforts to obtain private medical records.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective March 17, 2011 to May 15, 2014 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to new evidence being added to the record.

The Board has granted service connection for left elbow disability, lumbar spine disability, and left fifth finger disability. The Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service injuries.,Service connection is denied for a right wrist disorder due to the lack of evidence linking it to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, as these conditions are claimed to be related to her right knee disability. The VA will provide additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and TDIU have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU prior to April 23, 2018 has also been withdrawn. The Board is remanding the claims of service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea secondary to PTSD due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.,,

Your appeal of the denial of service connection for a low back disability has been dismissed because it was previously decided by the Board in July 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings were denied. The case was remanded for further development, including a TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for RLE lumbar radiculopathy has been dismissed as the Veteran opted into the modernized review system under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The Board will consider all issues when readjudicating these matters.

The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability, including evaluations for DDD with IVDS and associated neurological abnormalities. The remand requires obtaining VA treatment records from VistA, BAMC, and private providers, as well as obtaining retrospective medical opinions regarding the severity of the disabilities prior to January 2020.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for a neck condition due to insufficient examination reports and lack of information regarding flare-ups.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence added since the last decision and an inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neck condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining updated VA treatment records and scanned chiropractic fee-basis/non-VA care records.