Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the severity of his service-connected back and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions regarding secondary service connection. The issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and irritable bowel syndrome are now before the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability due to incomplete development and lack of an examination.

The Board has decided to remand the previously denied claims of service connection for low back disability, bilateral knee disability, heart disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. Additional VA treatment records must be obtained and considered.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is denied as there is no evidence of chronicity in service or continuity post-service, and the medical opinion does not support a nexus with service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of STDs is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such conditions and they are not related to his service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection of a left ankle disorder and denied his claim for service connection of a thoracolumbar spine disorder due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and military service.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 28, 2015 for the grant of a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity femoral radiculopathy. The issues regarding increased ratings for spondylosis with central stenosis, herniated disc with displacement, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar, cervical, and bilateral shoulder disorders due to inadequate medical opinions that did not consider the Veteran's lay reports of continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that his current condition is due to an in-service injury and military duties.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine DDD and DJD, RIGHT upper extremity radiculopathy, LUMBAR spine DDD and DJD, RIGHT lower extremity radiculopathy, and LEFT lower extremity radiculopathy. Service connection was denied for prediabetes/hyperglycemia, obstructive sleep apnea, a LEFT heel disorder (also claimed as 'bursitis hindfoot'), and a RIGHT eye disability.

The Veteran's back disability is granted as service-connected. The issues of left hand, right hand, bilateral lung condition (embolism), right shoulder, right knee, and left knee conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar spine arthritis, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to a 1975 motor vehicle accident in Italy.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities and a back disability due to inadequate consideration of the Veteran's lay testimony regarding her symptoms from service.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a right hip disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues of PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, right foot condition, left foot condition, and back condition are all being remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension and lumbar spine disorder were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during her active duty. The claim for secondary service connection based on obesity was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left shoulder, and lumbar spine disabilities due to insufficient rationale in previous opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of all claims.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, finding that the Veteran's one-time complaint of back pain in service did not lead to his current degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective July 19, 2014. The claim for a higher rating prior to that date and thereafter remains denied.