Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded several service connection claims and the TDIU rating claim due to outstanding VA treatment records, potential radiation exposure during service, and other issues. The Veteran's case will be further developed before being reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various joint disabilities, including right knee arthritis, bilateral hip arthritis, bilateral shoulder degenerative arthritis, and lumbar spine disability. The claims are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to insufficient explanation in a previous decision regarding the use of Percocet for treating lumbosacral muscular strain.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right and left lower extremity sciatic radulopathy, and left knee disability are rated at 20 percent each. The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating since July 3, 2013, and SMC at the housebound rate from November 17, 2016 to December 19, 2017.

The appeal for increased ratings on the Veteran's cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disabilities is being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with previous Board directives. Additional VA examination and treatment records are needed.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and TDIU as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for its denial, reliance on inadequate medical opinions, and failure to fulfill its duty to assist. The Veteran is scheduled for a VA examination to determine the severity of his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including neck disability, bilateral shoulder disability, back disability, hip disability, and knee disability due to incomplete development. The Veteran's lay statements and VA treatment records will be reviewed, along with any additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a 40% rating effective January 10, 2019.,Effective November 21, 2019, the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 10%. The TDIU became effective on December 17, 2021.

The Veteran's initial ratings for thoracolumbar DJD, LLE radiculopathy, and RLE radiculopathy have been granted at the maximum available rating of 60 percent. SMC based on one service-connected disability rated as total (due to additional service-connected disabilities) has also been granted.

The Veteran's low back disability was denied higher ratings prior to December 11, 2020 and as of that date. Higher ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy were also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate September 2020 VA examination and a need for further medical evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to October 11, 2021. The Board found the most persuasive evidence against a finding that his disabilities prevented him from performing all types of work.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lower back condition and chronic headaches are not service-connected. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and right ear hearing loss have been reopened. Service connection for right ear hearing loss has been granted with a 20% rating. The lumbar spine disability is rated at 20%, while the left ankle disability is rated at 10%. Other issues are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms and treatment.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine condition was rated at 10 percent prior to November 7, 2019, and a higher rating is denied. Since then, the Veteran has been granted a 20 percent disability rating for his left lower extremity radiculopathy.,For the period since September 27, 2021, the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's low back disorder, as well as additional efforts to obtain private medical records.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective March 17, 2011 to May 15, 2014 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and maintaining gainful employment.