Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran is granted earlier effective dates of March 28, 2019 for a 70% rating for PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder and a 20% rating for Lumbosacral Strain.,These ratings are based on the Veteran's service-connected conditions being manifested since her discharge from active service.

The Veteran's claims for individual unemployability and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance prior to May 7, 2018 are being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The case must be referred to the Director of Compensation Services for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for back, neck, and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a failure to obtain VA medical opinions and examinations prior to the March 2022 rating decision.

The Veteran is granted entitlement to specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities, which preclude locomotion without the aid of a cane. The issue of eligibility for a special home adaptation grant is dismissed as moot.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a kidney disorder. The claims are being remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals for an effective date prior to December 27, 2022 and for a higher initial evaluation for obstructive sleep apnea have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for various foot conditions, sleep apnea, and spine disability due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequacies in the VA examinations and lack of consideration of certain evidence. The issues include lumbar spine, cervical spine, left leg, right leg, RLE radiculopathy, and bilateral foot disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset or relationship to service. The Veteran will be afforded VA examinations to determine if he has these conditions and whether they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, erectile dysfunction, left-hand disability, right knee strain, and left knee strain have been granted. Tinnitus has also been granted as a separate condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors regarding his service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, and will need an addendum opinion from the VA examiner.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for chronic lumbar strain with degenerative changes was denied. The attempted appeal of the duty to assist error during the higher-level review for right hip degenerative arthritis was dismissed as there was no decision from which the Veteran could appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disorder but has remanded his claims for back, bilateral knee disorders due to insufficient etiological opinions in previous examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and sustaining employment, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection due to procedural defects in filing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, a low back condition, and related radiculopathy have been denied. The claim for an increased rating for the low back condition has also been denied.

The appeal is granted as a timely substantive appeal was filed in response to the June 2020 SOC, reviving the issues of hearing loss rating and service connection for back disorder, feet disorder, and trachea disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for his lumbar spine condition is granted with an effective date of April 30, 2007.