Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability. The claims will be reviewed again with new evidence and an examination by an orthopedist/orthopedic surgeon.

The Veteran's spouse is not found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to her disabilities, as she can manage most daily activities with assistance.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's left knee instability is granted with a separate 10 percent rating effective April 25, 2013.,A higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the left knee remains denied.

The Veteran's low back disability was rated at 10 percent prior to May 11, 2012. A higher rating of 20 percent is granted as of May 11, 2012.,For the period from June 1, 2019 to September 19, 2019, a disability rating in excess of 40 percent was denied due to lack of incapacitating episodes. Since September 19, 2019, a higher rating has not been granted as flexion did not reach 30 degrees or less.,The Veteran's low back disability remains rated at 20 percent since September 19, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his low back disability has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives and issues related to neurologic complications of IVDS.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability, diagnosed as lumbosacral strain, is caused by an in-service accident and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder, but denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for spondylosis of the lumbosacral spine is dismissed as he opted-in to the modernized review system.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, lumbar myositis (back condition), and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lumbar myositis due to incomplete personnel records and insufficient information regarding the severity of his conditions. The Veteran will need to provide legible DD-214 and other personnel records, and an additional VA examination is required.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic disability manifested by dizziness and loss of balance, a back disability, and radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during military service.

The Board denied service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, IVDS with residual scar, and left leg sciatica as these conditions did not have their onset in service or are otherwise unrelated to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations and for obtaining updated treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with scoliosis. The TDIU claim prior to January 12, 2015 is also granted due to the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for stomach disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and sleep apnea have been denied. The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for coronary artery disease has been granted with a rating of 60 percent effective since February 26, 2010.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic musculotendinous strain of the cervical spine and chronic musculotendinous strain of the lumbar spine as secondary to a left ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right foot disability, but the claims for neck and back disabilities are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee, lower back, and left foot disabilities due to their secondary nature to a service-connected right ankle disability. The remand requires an addendum opinion addressing whether these disabilities are proximately due or have undergone any incremental increase in disability due to the service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent prior to March 13, 2020 and at 50 percent thereafter. The Board denied an increased rating for this condition.,Service connection for PTSD was granted but a higher rating remains denied.