Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition, finding no current diagnosis and insufficient evidence to establish an in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied service connection for various disorders, including right knee, left knee, left hip, low back, costochondritis, OSA, and neck disorder, as there was no evidence of a current disability or a nexus to service.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, hearing loss, eczema, anxiety, and depression.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability manifested by pain, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether it is related to his active duty service. The decision concludes in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his lumbar spine disability was denied, and the TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected lumbar spine disability, and there was insufficient evidence to warrant referral for extraschedular TDIU consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, headaches, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss and cervical spondylosis with cervical strain (neck disability) and low back disability.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and increased the rating for residuals of right thumb cyst surgery to 20 percent, while denying a compensable disability rating for the surgical scar. The claims for back, left knee, and radiculopathy disabilities were remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is granted. The claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and migraines are denied.

Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted.,The Veteran's left knee condition and right arm conditions (right elbow and right shoulder) are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist sprain, right wrist sprain, and lumbosacral strain. The Veteran's current conditions are deemed to have been incurred during his active military service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating prior to September 11, 2023 was denied as his lumbar spine disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.,The Veteran's increased rating from September 11, 2023 was granted based on limitation of motion. However, the evidence does not support an increase to a higher rating as there is no finding of unfavorable ankylosis.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, and post-hydrocelectomy hydrocele due to issues with evidence and remand directives not being followed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left lower extremity sciatic nerve and chronic lumbar strain as they were not fully developed due to outstanding treatment records and a missed VA examination. The Veteran is required to provide information for obtaining additional medical records, including those from Largo Medical Center.

The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU prior to April 3, 2014, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability due to incomplete development of records from Tustin Air Force Base Hospital and Long Beach Naval Hospital. The AOJ is required to obtain these records and provide an addendum medical opinion if relevant evidence is found.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment from March 11, 2017. The Board has granted a TDIU effective that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to new evidence and non-VA-generated evidence being added to his claims file.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but not more. From December 29, 2011 to January 19, 2023, the Veteran was granted a TDIU for purposes of SMC. From January 20, 2023, she is denied a TDIU for SMC purposes.

The Board denied a rating greater than 10 percent for left CTS from November 3, 2017 to December 13, 2022 and a compensable initial rating for GERD s/p right inguinal hernia surgical repair, right side of abdomen prior to June 27, 2022.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and an increased evaluation is denied.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has not met the criteria for a higher than 10 percent evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.