Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, headaches, liver condition, and bilateral hip radiculopathy. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the remanded lumbar spine claim.

The Veteran's spouse was granted dependency compensation effective from November 28, 2011, the date of his service-connected disability rating.

The Board has remanded the service connection and TDIU issues due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay testimony regarding his knee and back symptoms during and after service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of upper back, low back, left knee, right knee, and left shoulder disorders. The claims are now remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for post-operative fusion at L5-S1; degenerative disc disease, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within the presumptive period, and concluding that the current condition is not related to an in-service injury.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for a higher evaluation and TDIU have been dismissed due to the appellant's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to proceed with these appeals as the appellant passed away during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for chronic headaches, hypertension, and lumbar strain was denied. The Veteran is already in receipt of the maximum schedular ratings for these conditions.,The Veteran's cervical spine fusion with multi-level neural foramina narrowing received a 20 percent rating.

Service connection is granted for bilateral breast reduction residuals and low back disability.,The Veteran's service-connected conditions are not related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that it did not clearly and unmistakably preexist his service entrance and was not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board also found no direct evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Veteran's TDIU from March 2, 2016 is based on service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes. The Board found that the additional service-connected disabilities (right ankle, left ankle, right knee strain, tinnitus, and left lower extremity radiculopathy) are separate and distinct from the lumbosacral strain.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions including bilateral knee and ankle conditions, sleep apnea, psychiatric disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and back condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to July 7, 2015.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for back disability, diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted service connection as it first manifested during active service and was incurred in service. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus has not been found to have increased in severity due to service.

The Veteran's hypertension, heart disability, and lumbar spine disability are granted service connection due to herbicide exposure. The right ear hearing loss and cervical spine disability claims are denied.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back injury. The case is now remanded for further action, including obtaining a VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine and left hip disorders, as secondary to a service-connected left knee disorder due to an in-service fall. The VA is required to obtain an addendum opinion from a medical professional regarding whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's reported injury and symptoms.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to readjudicate the claims for service connection of a low back condition, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and anxiety), and left ear hearing loss. However, the Veteran does not have a current disability for VA purposes in any of these cases.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability and lumbar spine disability with radiculitis have been granted.