Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a lower back disability and remanded it for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection for recurrent abdominoplasty residuals is granted. The Board also remanded the issues of rating PTSD, low back musculotendinous strain, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left ankle strain residuals.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that it must be denied based on the date of claim. The effective date of service connection and TDIU cannot precede February 21, 2007 due to the filing dates of the claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a vestibular disorder and headaches. The Veteran's assertions of in-service injuries are considered, along with relevant medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims for left shoulder septic arthritis, increased rating for lumbar spine disability, and TDIU due to insufficient medical opinions regarding causation and severity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to insufficient evidence regarding his lumbar spine disability and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity. The Veteran must be provided with a VA examination to assess the severity of these conditions, including during flare-ups.

A 20 percent rating (but no higher) for lumbar spine strain and facet joint arthritis with IVDS involving the left L3-S1 nerve roots is granted effective April 16, 2017.,Ratings in excess of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are denied throughout the appeal period.

The petition to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran's left index finger disability, erectile dysfunction, right knee disability, irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension, lumbar myositis, and left knee patellar tendonitis (post-AACL repair) are all remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5243 for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and he was also denied a higher rating for his right leg radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis and lumbar spine DDD with radiculopathy to obtain additional medical opinions regarding their etiology. The issues are related to service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated treatment records and a new VA examination. The case will be remanded to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's right hip DJD is granted service connection and the claims for increased ratings of lumbar DDD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in this case is inadequate and requires further action, including obtaining an addendum opinion by an Orthopedist (M.D.) to address all of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his back condition.

The Veteran's appeal is partially granted with some issues being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient rationale provided by VA examiners regarding the nature of his L5 pars defect and its relationship to his lumbar spine disorders. The case is returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection has been dismissed due to their death. The issues related to sciatica and DDD have also been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for her lumbar spine disability and for ratings in excess of 10 percent each for both right and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate VA examination records and failure to discuss these issues in the previous decision.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the claim for service connection for a back disability is remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar disability secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability and for PTSD. The Veteran is now entitled to a rating of 20 percent for limitation of motion due to functional impairment of the left knee.