Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current low back disability and his service. The Veteran will need to provide medical records, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine if there is a link between his service and his condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability is denied as the current 40% rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition, which includes pain and limited motion but no ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine injury with DJD and right ankle injury with neuritis of the right distal peroneal nerve were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded for further evaluation due to unreliable previous examination results and lack of recent medical records.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability and tinnitus are granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The sleep disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back disorder, and left knee disorder due to incomplete records. The Veteran's lay statements will be considered in determining if his conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee and foot disabilities are found to have caused his current low back, right knee, and left foot degenerative joint diseases. As such, the claims for these conditions are granted.

The Veteran's low back disability is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected thoracolumbar strain with spondylosis is denied. The issues of initial ratings higher than 20 percent and 10 percent for the right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination reports and requests for further evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected right great toe disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating. The appeal for TDIU was also denied as his combined disability rating does not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service injury and his current condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his thoracolumbar spine disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding flare-ups.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative joint and disc disease, lumbar spine disability is remanded due to the need for additional examination and records review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition and neck condition secondary to his residual nerve dysfunction status-post left inguinal hernia repair is granted. However, the claims are denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease prior to November 11, 2013. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities is remanded due to insufficient evidence on its etiology.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, the maximum schedular rating available for limitation of motion. The appeal period does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to ensure compliance with the May 2017 remand directive, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the examiner responsible for the June 2017 VA examination and considering whether an extraschedular TDIU evaluation is warranted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus has been granted, with a maximum of 10 percent. The claims for increased ratings for right-ear hearing loss and PTSD have not been addressed as they are already at the highest possible rating under VA regulations. The claim for service connection for left-ear hearing loss is reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial in August 2007, but no specific rating has been assigned yet. The claims for cervical spine disorder and low back disorder have been granted with a maximum of 40 percent under Diagnostic Code 5025. The claim for erectile dysfunction remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes is found to have caused his bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The effective date for the grant of service connection for CAD is granted as April 2, 2014.