Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

Your lower back disability has been granted service connection, but the appeal is dismissed as your full benefit was already awarded in a previous decision.

The Veteran's back and ankle conditions were not rated higher than the current levels, with the appeal being remanded for further review of his hip osteoarthritis claims.

The Veteran's initial rating for vitiligo is granted at a 10 percent level. The Board finds the evidence more nearly approximates a 10 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain, left ankle collateral ligament sprain, right ankle collateral ligament sprain, and lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve due to static symptoms beginning February 2, 2018. The Veteran's sinusitis is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete review of evidence and failure to obtain Social Security Administration records. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, left ankle arthritis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his GERD and OSA, as well as a VA examination for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee osteoarthritis. The AOJ will consider any new evidence submitted during this process.

The Veteran's back, right knee, and sinusitis disabilities are remanded for further medical opinions to determine if they were aggravated by service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI and lumbosacral strain due to errors in verifying periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA). The VA examiner's opinions are also inadequate, and further medical examination may be necessary.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates as his conditions did not meet criteria for increased ratings in the year preceding the November 2021 VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for residuals status post nasal reconstruction was denied, while his TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the need for an addendum opinion on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for a higher rating for thoracolumbar spine disorder and TDIU, so the claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for a 100 percent rating for PTSD prior to January 26, 2021 is denied.,The Veteran's claim for basic eligibility for DEA benefits prior to January 26, 2021 is denied.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot due to the presence of a 100 percent schedular rating for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for multilevel lumbar DJD/DDD with underlying congenital spinal stenosis secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disability, hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy secondary to service-connected hypertension.,Service connection is also granted for hypertension.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for low back disability. The underlying issue is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current back pain to his active military service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, radiculopathy affecting the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy affecting the right lower extremity. The Veteran's claims for traumatic brain injury were also denied.,There is no evidence of record supporting the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions, including neck disability, back disability, and radiculopathies. The claims were initially denied in February 2013 due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine, with degenerative disc disease and chronic strain is granted due to new and relevant evidence having been submitted.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a cervical spine disability due to duty to assist error.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence in the March 2021 VA back examination report, and a new examination is needed to determine the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.