Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to inadequate previous VA opinions and the need for new medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his service-connected disabilities during the period on appeal. The issues include increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, rotator cuff tendonitis of the right shoulder, right elbow limitation of flexion, right knee limited flexion, and left knee tendonitis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability, seizure/epilepsy disability, and lumbosacral strain as new evidence was received that could potentially reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. The case will be reviewed with additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence and the need for additional opinions regarding her psychiatric disorder and low back condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is aggravated by his service-connected left knee and right ankle disabilities, warranting secondary service connection.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent disabling from October 3, 2011, to January 23, 2016. His neck disability was previously rated as 20 percent disabling from October 3, 2011, to March 10, 2017, and 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and rating determinations. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for a cervical spine disability and myofascial pain syndrome are remanded due to incomplete military records. The specific nature of her service-connected disabilities remains under consideration.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding that the evidence did not establish a nexus between any of these conditions and active military service.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected low back disability from September 25, 2020. The right ankle disability was rated at 10 percent throughout the appeal period and PTSD led to a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to February 3, 2016 was denied as there were no pending claims or evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities within the one-year period preceding the filing of the claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease and arthritis, as well as service connection for a sleep disorder secondary to the service-connected thoracolumbar disability.,New evidence received since the November 2011 rating decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the Veteran's claims for right and left hip disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for a low back disability, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran will be provided with new examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and a personality disorder, is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection in an October 2023 rating decision. The claims for heart disability, UTI, lymph node disease, granulomatous disease, eye disability, and lumbar spine disability are remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability with radiculopathy of the lower extremities as secondary to service-connected right knee strain with arthritis, residuals of right knee meniscal tear. The decision also remanded issues regarding left knee, right foot, and left foot disabilities.

The Board has granted a TDIU as of October 29, 2020. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to that date is remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for spondylolisthesis of the thoracolumbar spine, retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee, and lower left extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate examination reports. The issues are now returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for service-connected low back disability, including sciatic and femoral radiculopathy, is being remanded due to missing medical authorizations.