Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee strain and instability. The current rating decision will be remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has granted an extension of the delimiting date for the Veteran's educational assistance benefits, finding that he was prevented from pursuing and completing his master's degree in public health due to service-connected mental and physical disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a retrospective opinion regarding the Veteran's functional loss due to his back disability and determining whether he is entitled to extraschedular TDIU prior to February 24, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in pre-decisional duty to assist. The AOJ must obtain additional medical opinions and consider evidence not previously considered.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of October 13, 2020. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since February 7, 2020.

The Board has found that additional evidence is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine, low back, left hip, headache, and muscle pain disabilities as they may be related to her service-connected right hip disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for lumbosacral strain was denied as the effective date cannot be prior to November 5, 2020, due to the factual establishment of the criteria for a 20 percent rating on that date.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a back disability, initial increased ratings for left shoulder strain and left knee strain.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 17, 2020 for service connection and increased ratings in various cases. The claims were reopened on new evidence received after the final decisions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with IVDS was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, specifically forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD is remanded due to inadequate examination.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lower back disability is remanded due to the inconsistency between the September 2022 and June 2014 VA examinations regarding IVDS status.,The Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are both remanded as no peripheral nerves examination has been conducted yet.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to March 14, 2017 on an extraschedular basis is remanded due to the lack of evidence showing her inability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment before that date.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's low back condition, LLE nerve condition, and RLE nerve condition have been granted initial ratings of 40%, 20%, and 20% respectively, effective from March 7, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of recurrent lumbosacral spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from August 30, 2016, onward, and entitlement to TDIU is granted.

The Board denied service connection for low back pain due to the lack of competent and credible evidence of a current disability.,The Board also denied service connection for hearing loss, finding no causal relationship between the claimed disabilities and service.

The Veteran's PTSD, combined with other service-connected disabilities, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of January 25, 2018.,An effective date of January 25, 2018 is granted for the award of service connection for PTSD and a TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychological disorder is granted. The claims for a lumbar back condition and a right knee condition are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's motion to revise the August 2013 rating decision that denied service connection for PTSD due to CUE was denied. Service connection for migraine headaches with a disability rating of 50 percent, but no higher, was granted. The issue of service connection for a back disability is remanded.