Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The VA examiner acknowledged service treatment for a back condition but did not consider the Veteran's lay statements of continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no final decision could be made on the merits of the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and thus grants his claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The appeal for service connection of a low back disability is dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, neurological disabilities of upper and lower extremities due to incomplete development and lack of medical nexus opinions addressing potential service connection.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for low back pain is granted. Service connection for bleeding in ears, as secondary to PTSD, remains denied.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, neurological disorders of the bilateral upper and lower extremities (peripheral neuropathy), finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or in-service exposure. The Board also found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathies are not related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and nerve damage of the tongue due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. A new opinion is needed from an examiner who did not previously provide an opinion regarding these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development due to the need for medical opinions regarding potential radiation exposure and its impact on various disabilities. The claims will be reconsidered based on this new information.

The Veteran's facial skin condition is rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran was previously granted TDIU based on multiple service-connected disabilities prior to May 15, 2015, but the claim for TDIU after that date is also denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease due to conflicting opinions from VA examiners and a need for further clarification on continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, left hip, and right hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including left foot pain, back disability, hearing loss, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and neurobehavioral effects related to chemical exposure. The claims for insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, migraines, right knee condition, left knee condition, PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder, and alcohol abuse are remanded due to the need for further examination and evidence collection.

The Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral shoulder disabilities have been granted. The claim to reopen service connection for a left arm disability is remanded.,Service connection has been established for hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TB residuals was denied. The Board found no evidence of active TB or TB related symptomatology during the pendency of the appeal. For TDIU, the Veteran met the criteria under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(a) as he had two or more disabilities with at least one rated at 40 percent or more and sufficient additional disability to bring the combined rating to at least 70 percent. The Veteran is already in receipt of SMC benefits, thus TDIU was not granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to PTSD.

Your service connection for a back disability has been granted, but the case is dismissed because your claim was fully addressed in a previous decision.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and remanded the claim for service connection for ruptured sinuses. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to assess his claimed back condition.