Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's right knee strain has been granted service connection. The initial rating for left knee strain remains denied, and a separate rating of 10 percent is granted for left knee instability.,Service connection for bilateral hand condition and bilateral foot condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to unclear findings from a previous VA examination and the need to address whether the Veteran has unfavorable ankylosis of the spine.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, and the remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and VA medical opinions regarding the Veteran's low back disorder and colon cancer.

The Board has denied service connection for left wrist and left knee disabilities, but granted service connection for a back disability. The claims for left wrist and left knee disabilities are considered 'mixed' as some issues were granted (back) and others not (left wrist and left knee).,Service connection was established for the Veteran's back disability based on direct evidence of injury during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for an addendum to the previous VA opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, right knee, and PTSD disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to November 30, 2018. The Board has remanded the matter for extraschedular TDIU consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar strain with myofascial pain syndrome, right hip osteoarthritis limited extension, left hip osteoarthritis limited extension, right hip osteoarthritis limited flexion, left hip osteoarthritis painful motion, left hip osteoarthritis limited adduction and abduction, left sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and right sural nerve radiculopathy are being REMANDED for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, left and right hip disabilities, and a femoral acetabular impingement syndrome of the left hip. The issues include rating claims for various hip and back conditions, as well as the propriety in reducing the Veteran's rating for his left hip condition.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The case is being remanded to allow for a review of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete review of flare-ups in the Veteran's back disability, and a new TDIU examination is required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to provide a reasoned medical explanation. The issues include left knee, bilateral hip, bilateral leg, back, gastrointestinal, and hypertension disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions in prior examinations and a need for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment effective April 22, 2023.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to locate the Veteran's missing service treatment records, which are crucial for determining whether his low back condition and bilateral foot/ankle conditions were incurred in or caused by his military service. The AOJ must make a final attempt to obtain these records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his right hip disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating for individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his combined ratings did not meet the schedular requirements and that there was no evidence of an inability to perform sedentary employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives and factual inaccuracies in some opinions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, is granted as service connected. The Board also found that the Veteran's sleep apnea (OSA), headache condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, right ankle condition, right shoulder condition, and lumbar spine condition are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's March 14, 2014, VA Form 9 was timely filed and reinstated the appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims.