Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and unobtained private treatment records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity nerve condition, and left lower extremity nerve condition.

The Veteran's claim for PCAFC benefits was remanded due to inadequate notice and reasoning in the original decision. The Board found that the VA Caregiver evaluation assessment did not clearly address the Veteran's current conditions, particularly his neurocognitive disorders, pain, loss of use, weakness, dizziness, and vertigo, which affect his need for personal care services.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for residual of left-hand palmar scar has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back lumbar condition also diagnosed as a fractured sacrum is remanded and requires further examination.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 60 percent from July 8, 2022, but not earlier. This decision grants a higher rating for his lumbar herniated disc condition based on the presence of incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is granted.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for service-connected low back derangement with discogenic disease is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, ankle, knee, back, neck, shoulder, and wrist disabilities as there is no current evidence of such conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that his current condition is causally linked to his military service. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a low back disability due to insufficient evidence in the record. Additional records development is needed, including obtaining complete military personnel and treatment records from the Veteran's service in the South Carolina Army National Guard.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the claims of service connection for bilateral eye surgery cataract left and right eye, acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, and a lower back disability. These claims are being remanded for further adjudication.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including eye disability or vision disability, hearing loss, bone cancer (Acute lymphoblastic leukemia), drug abuse, alcohol abuse, psychiatric disability (Anxiety and depression), attempted suicide, dry skin disability, stress, memory loss, low back disability, headaches, and sleep disturbances have all been denied. The Board found that the Veteran's conditions were not related to service or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and lumbosacral strain due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination related to his back disability.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's low back disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and femoral nerve radiculopathy. The issues include seeking higher ratings for these disabilities as well as earlier effective dates for separate compensable ratings.

The Veteran's appeals regarding various conditions were dismissed as she did not file a timely VA Form 10182 within the allowed time frame.

The Veteran's service-connected knee and back disabilities render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the initial decision, requiring further development and an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for a decreased rating of her service-connected degenerative disc disease is dismissed because the actual decrease in disability rating was not effectuated.

The Board remands the issue of service connection for a low back disability for further development, including obtaining an appropriate medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a prostate disability, left ear hearing loss, low back disability, right ankle disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives.