Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar and cervical spine conditions due to inadequate examination in June 2022. The case is returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic headache and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or relationship to service.,For cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, additional development is needed as there are no current diagnoses provided by the VA examiner.

The Board denied an extension of a temporary total rating due to treatment requiring convalescence for a lumbar spine disability beginning June 1, 2014, as the evidence did not show severe postoperative residuals.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, right knee, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities are not service-connected.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability is also not service-connected.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with myofascial pain syndrome and degenerative arthritis are rated at 20 percent before March 16, 2021, but denied for a rating greater than 40 percent beginning March 16, 2021.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted separate 20 percent ratings since January 30, 2013. A TDIU has also been granted from October 28, 2012.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, indicating he no longer wished to pursue the claims for service connection or rating increases. The Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining a retrospective medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lower back disability.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating greater than 20 percent for DJD of the thoracolumbar spine was dismissed due to withdrawal by his representative. The issues of service connection for bilateral wrist / hand / finger disabilities, secondary to service-connected DJD of the thoracolumbar spine, are remanded.

The Board has found the VA medical opinions inadequate and remanded for further development, including a new VA medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's low back condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral shoulder and/or knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, lumbosacral strain, eczema of the bilateral upper extremities and hands, scarring alopecia (perifolliculitis capitis abscedens), and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) facial have all been denied. The Board found no evidence to support service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim for referral to the Director of Compensation Service due to insufficient discussion in the June 2021 decision regarding his service-connected disabilities and their impact on employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence to support its onset during service or being related to his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the appellant's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for lumbar spine disability and lower extremity radiculopathy.,No effective date is assigned as the claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including verification of Reserve service and obtaining VA treatment records. A new examination will be conducted to determine the nature and etiology of any current back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his lower back and leg conditions, as well as the relationship between his coccyx fracture and these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no persuasive weight of evidence to support these claims.,The Board noted that while the Veteran reported in-service back pain and knee conditions, post-service medical records did not show development of these conditions within a year after service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, TMJ disability, back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability have been granted. The decision also denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection on the merits is remanded due to new evidence showing chronic back pain since discharge. Other claims are also remanded for VA examinations and opinions regarding potential service connection.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis, as well as his low back disability (intervertebral disc syndrome), have been granted service connection. A 40 percent rating has been assigned for the low back disability prior to September 3, 2019.