Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Service connection is denied for neck and back disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is related to an in-service injury during ACDUTRA and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating on individual employability prior to March 24, 2017, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination by a qualified orthopedist, and further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence showing that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability may be associated with radiculopathy. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left hip disability due to new evidence, including medical opinions on etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine DJD and DDD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine has been granted.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for his mid-sternum scar associated with coronary artery bypass graft has not been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 24, 2012. A TDIU is granted from that date.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar disability has been rated at 20 percent since September 28, 2022. The Board found that the most restrictive range of motion was flexion limited to 60 degrees, which supports a rating of 20 percent under DC 5237.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues related to the VA examination reports and compliance with legal requirements.

The Veteran's initial request for higher ratings for his service-connected back condition was denied. The rating assigned prior to June 6, 2019, is 10 percent and the rating after that date is 40 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and a low back disorder due to additional development being required. The issues are related to whether these conditions were present during periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back and right hip disabilities, finding that these conditions had their onset in service and have continued since then.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability as secondary to a service-connected left ankle condition. However, the issues of an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and TDIU are remanded due to new evidence indicating potential worsening.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are granted, with hypertension being granted under the PACT Act presumption of herbicide exposure. Other issues remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a previous examiner and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Veteran's sciatica right lower extremity associated with degenerative disc and facet disease is now rated at 40 percent from December 4, 2019. The previous rating of 10 percent prior to that date remains unchanged.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, low back, and tinnitus disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's low back disability was rated at 40 percent from October 2, 2020 through November 30, 2021. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.