Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a low back disability has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate this claim at this time.

Your current rating for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder is 30 percent, effective prior to September 7, 2023. The Board has found that your symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis may be service-connected through secondary service connection due to obesity. Further examination and medical opinion are needed to determine the etiology of this condition.,Your back disability (not specified) is currently not service-connected, but further evidence or argument may support its service connection.,Right lower extremity sciatica has no current service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is etiologically related to service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The conditions are related to her active service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's initial maximum schedular rating of 10 percent for status post bunionectomy, right foot, is granted. Other service-connected conditions are not rated higher.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, effective February 27, 2019. The Veteran's claim was continuously pursued after he submitted an intent to file a claim in February 27, 2019.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 23, 2001 for the award of TDIU and DEA benefits. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation since that date.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that new and relevant evidence supports a grant of this claim. The Board determined that the Veteran's back disability began during active service.

The Veteran's claim for a lumbar disability was reopened and granted effective June 20, 1994. The claim for costochondritis/Tietze syndrome had an earlier effective date of April 14, 2011.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected due to continuous symptoms since service.,Service connection for the low back disability is granted, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee condition, left hip condition, and low back condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee condition.

The Veteran's low back disability, radiculopathy of the femoral and sciatic nerves, and depression have been granted service connection with effective dates set at October 15, 2010. The rating for his low back condition is denied as it does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to November 10, 2015. The evidence did not show that she was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment solely due to her service-connected disabilities before this date.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus is service connected. The other claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for a lumbar spine condition, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD), and a respiratory condition due to new evidence received since the November 2012 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, back disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability are being remanded due to procedural errors in obtaining necessary medical records.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also being remanded as there is insufficient information about his employment history.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent prior to September 10, 2020, and 40 percent thereafter. The issues of increased ratings for the lumbar spine and left knee strain are remanded.,The issue of an earlier effective date for TDIU is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent her from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment, and the Board finds in favor of granting TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, is granted as service connected. The Board found that the evidence supports a finding that this condition was incurred during active duty.