Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a back condition is being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his acquired psychiatric condition is being remanded as the proper effective date is based on when the condition arose, not when he filed his initial claim.

The Board has restored service connection for status post lumbar compression fracture surgery and the secondary radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to clear error in the original decision.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective April 15, 2022 due to his service-connected lumbar spine and psychiatric disabilities preventing him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that there are outstanding records and medical opinions needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracic lumbar spine disorder and cervical spine disorder. The AOJ is instructed to obtain these records and provide an opinion on the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for deviated nasal septum.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral sprain and degenerative disc disease (back disability) as well as cervical strain (neck disability), finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active-duty service, including his military flight time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and missing records. The issues include left ankle, left elbow, low back, migraines, and left shoulder disabilities, as well as residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits are granted from December 28, 2017, based on his service-connected lower back disability and radiculopathy. The effective date is retroactively applied due to the nature of the claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed because it has been granted in the March 2024 rating decision.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for back condition is dismissed because it has been granted in the April 2024 rating decision.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ankle is dismissed because it has been granted in the April 2024 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and new claims, including the Veteran's contention of back pain in service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings were dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and denied a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease. The Veteran's low back condition is currently rated at 10 percent, effective October 19, 2021.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as radiculopathy in multiple extremities, are being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome claim is also being remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, lumbar spine disability, and right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for migraines as secondary to major depressive disorder and lumbosacral strain as secondary to status post left knee torn ACL and MCL tears with surgical reconstruction with residual patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant the readjudication of your claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, shin splints, and diabetes mellitus. Your tailbone condition is denied.

An effective date of December 8, 2009 is granted for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine.,An effective date of December 5, 2017 is granted for the grant of service connection for sciatica of right lower extremity.,No earlier effective date is granted for the grant of service connection for sciatica of left lower extremity.

The Veteran's back disability is granted service connection. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as not related to active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back condition and associated lumbar radiculopathy, LLE. The claim for service connection for headaches disorder is remanded due to a lack of consideration of whether it is related to the cervical spine disability.,The Veteran's sinusitis disorder claim is also remanded as the VA examiner did not address his current symptoms or provide an opinion on whether they constitute chronic sinusitis.

The Veteran's initial ratings for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and peripheral neuropathy of the upper radicular group of the right upper extremity were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.,Initial compensable ratings were denied for peripheral neuropathy of the lower radicular group of the left upper extremity and middle radicular group of the left upper extremity.