Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service connection for lumbosacral strain is granted. The appeal for service connection for a penile condition is dismissed due to the grant of service connection. The appeals for initial disability ratings for right knee conditions are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder did not begin during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability was rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2023 and increased to 20 percent from that date.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2023 and increased to 20 percent from that date.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy was rated at 10 percent from January 4, 2023.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service injury and subsequent treatment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to address her claimed low back disability.,An extraschedular evaluation for service-connected chronic headaches under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1) is denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and remanded it. The cervical spine disability claim is also remanded due to inextricability with the lumbar spine disability claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, but further evaluations are needed to determine the appropriate ratings and effective dates.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions due to insufficient medical opinions addressing continuity of symptomatology from service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition, bilateral hip conditions, and a back condition as secondary to his service-connected left knee condition. The VA examiners provided negative nexus opinions regarding these claims.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral foot disability, back disability, left knee disability, upper thigh disability, skin disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted an initial increased rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's low back disability, effective from October 1, 2006. The case is remanded due to inadequate examinations and other procedural issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability. The case will be returned for further development and readjudication.

The appeal for an increased disability rating for service-connected lumbar spine disability is remanded due to the need for additional VA medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine DDD, right lower extremity neuropathy and radiculopathy, and right hip DJD are all granted with specific disability ratings. The TDIU is also granted from March 20, 2016 to October 4, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine and bilateral knee disorders, as well as bilateral hearing loss due to the need for further medical evaluation and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and neck disability, finding no evidence of such conditions being incurred in or related to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim for service connection of a low back condition. The claims for service connection of right shoulder, right hand carpal tunnel, and sciatica conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae was denied a compensable rating, as the condition did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.,Service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and left elbow disorder were both denied. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability, which is secondary to a left ankle disability. The case will be reviewed with a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back disability is proximately due to or made worse by his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, but denied his claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disorder, and right hip disorder.