Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's TDIU is granted from July 29, 1993 to January 22, 1998 due to his service-connected left knee disability and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee conditions and a lumbar spine condition as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease with strain, lumbar spine. The case is remanded to determine service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for lumbar disc herniation at L4/L5 and lumbar strain, as his appeal was not timely filed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical strain, left knee strain, and right knee strain remain denied. The claim for service connection for lumbar disc disease is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's lumbar strain disability is granted service connection. Service connection for sleep apnea, tinnitus, right knee disability, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability are denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the appellant requested to withdraw all BVA appeals that are currently pending at the BVA.

The Veteran's ratings for his right knee, low back pain (claimed as degenerative arthritis), and radiculopathy in the bilateral lower extremities have been restored to their previous levels.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee pain and dysfunction, low back pain and dysfunction, left wrist pain and dysfunction, PTSD, and MDD. The conditions are deemed to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for a back disability. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left ankle sprain was dismissed. Service connection for MDD and PTSD was granted, but service connection for lumbosacral strain was denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating was received on July 16, 2018. The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date as there is no evidence of a prior claim filed before November 14, 2017.

The Veteran's eczema (skin rashes) and impingement of the right shoulder are related to his active military service, but the Board finds that VA did not obtain adequate medical opinions prior to the February 2019 rating decision. The Veteran's back condition is related to service, but the VA medical opinions do not address whether it was aggravated by service.,The Veteran's multilevel spondylosis with facet arthropathy of the lumbar spine is related to his active military service and is not aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, Barrett's Esophagus, and colon resection. The claims are also being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, skin condition (also claimed as rash on arms), and residuals of ganglion cyst excision, bilateral wrists.,There is no persuasive evidence that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The claim will be reconsidered with an addendum to the August 2018 examination.

The Board has restored the original ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disability and 30 percent for cervical spine disability, finding that the reduction in evaluations was not proper due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased evaluations are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his service-connected anxiety disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy (left leg sciatic), and left knee strain.

The Board denied service connection for low back disorder, left knee disorder, and bilateral foot disorder (claimed as flat foot/pes planus and foot pain related to non-PTSD personal trauma) due to a lack of evidence showing the disorders began during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship of the Veteran's diagnosed lumbosacral strain to his active duty service.