Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of medical opinion regarding the etiology and relationship between his current conditions and military service. The issues include lower back condition, right sciatica, left sciatica, and coronary artery disease secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with IVDS is granted a 60 percent rating effective June 27, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate medical examination, incomplete record retrieval, and inextricable interconnection with his back disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral hearing loss due to additional development being required. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability is denied as there is no evidence of chronicity during or within presumptive periods after service, and continuity of symptomatology since separation from service is not established. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's combined disability rating was correctly calculated as 80 percent prior to September 4, 2019. A higher combined rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for information regarding the competence of the VA examiner who conducted her back examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back condition and its relationship to service, particularly his left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, low back disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, chronic fatigue syndrome and joint pain, tremors, and tinnitus are granted due to the PACT Act presumption of exposure to burn pits. The claims for service connection for these conditions are based on presumptive service connection under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings and service connection related to multiple conditions, including PTSD, TBI, low back disability, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, hearing loss, and a left orbital contusion. The Board has determined that these issues require additional development due to incomplete records and need further examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including reopening of claims for low back disability, left shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The rating for an acquired psychiatric disability is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented her from working from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 and from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck condition and low back condition. The claims for left shoulder condition and left hip condition are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the need for additional development and examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hand disabilities remains pending.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities remains pending.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities remains pending.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability (claimed as arthritis) remains pending.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability (claimed as arthritis) remains pending.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae remains pending.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected right ankle strain remains pending.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, right lower extremity sciatica, and left lower extremity sciatica due to in-service injury. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal through his authorized representative.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's radiculopathy-left extremity sciatic nerve and remanded the issues regarding earlier effective date for TDIU and increased rating for lumbosacral spine.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder is not service-connected as there was no in-service diagnosis and no current disability.,Right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right hip condition, and left hip condition are not service-connected due to lack of evidence of an in-service injury or illness.,Low back disability is not service-connected because the Veteran did not sustain any in-service incident, illness, or injury related to this condition.,Left lower extremity radiculopathy and right lower extremity radiculopathy are also not service-connected as they are secondary to a nonservice-connected low back disability.

The Board has remanded two issues: the Veteran's lumbar spine condition and left hip limitation of motion, due to inadequate development in previous examinations. The Veteran is seeking higher disability ratings for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder, finding that the Veteran had a back injury in service and continued problems since then. The appeal is now resolved.