Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection of bilateral knee condition, back disability, headaches, and acquired psychiatric condition are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to duty-to-assist errors and insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals of service connection for neck disability, back disability, right knee fracture, and right thigh fracture as they were already pending in the legacy system.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is service connected.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also service connected.

The Veteran's migraine headaches and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine have been granted increased ratings to 30 percent, effective from November 8, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability and unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol and cocaine abuse rendered him unable to maintain gainful employment prior to February 11, 2020. The Board granted his claim for a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, neck disability, left arm nerve disability, and right arm nerve disability. The conditions are found to be related to the Veteran's in-service injury.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar degenerative joint disease, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressive disorder, peripheral nerve conditions, and right shoulder osteoarthritis preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The appeal is dismissed because the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to his service-connected disabilities has been resolved by a prior grant of service connection.

The Veteran's back disability, left and right hip strains, and adjustment disorder are all granted. The rating for the hip strains is set at 40 percent each.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the care or assistance of another on a regular basis, and the Board has granted entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The appeal regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for MDD with unspecified anxiety disorder, lumbosacral strain, and TMJ was denied. The Veteran's seborrhea dermatitis and nephrolithiasis were also denied.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left leg sciatic nerve disability, and right leg sciatic nerve disability, all related to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial for service connection for low back pain was dismissed because he did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) within one year after receiving the July 2014 rating decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy, including as secondary to a service-connected condition. The decision found that there was no in-service injury or disease related to these conditions, and thus service connection is not warranted.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was rated at 50% initially but is now rated at 70%, effective November 3, 2017.,Right knee contusion and instability were both granted service connection with an effective date of June 19, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted as secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).,A rating of 20 percent for lumbar strain is granted, but the Veteran's request for a higher rating for left shoulder sprain is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and hip conditions are dismissed. Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for low back disability is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, both secondary to the Veteran's in-service injuries. The Veteran's current conditions are considered service-connected.