Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right knee, left knee, pelvic bone, head injury, left breast, costochondritis, jawbone, low back, neck, right ankle, right thumb, acne, scarring on the head, and tinnitus.

The appeal of a rating in excess of 40 percent for residuals of lumbosacral strain is dismissed as it is subsumed by the pending legacy appeal for an increased rating for the Veteran's back disability.

The Veteran's sleep apnea disability was granted a rating of more than 50 percent from January 31, 2020 to February 7, 2021. The thoracolumbar spine disability received a 40 percent rating during the same period and the cervical spine disability was denied a higher rating. TDIU was granted effective January 31, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that it is related to the Veteran's in-service parachute jumps and progression over time.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for various conditions have been dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for a right hip condition has also been dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck, back, left shoulder, right shoulder, left elbow, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The decision is based on direct service connection due to evidence of in-service injury and continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of relevant evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and right shoulder degenerative arthritis have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his degenerative arthritis of the spine (lumbar spine) as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on forward flexion or combined range of motion.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the September 2020 rating decision severing service connection for lumbosacral strain was not proper and has remanded both issues of whether the September 2020 rating decision was proper, as well as the issue of entitlement to service connection for sciatica of the left leg as secondary to lumbosacral strain.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability should be remanded for further action due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to deficiencies in the record existing prior to the appealed decision. The appeals are now pending and will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to readjudicate the previously denied claim of service connection for a lower back condition. The AOJ is now required to consider this new evidence in deciding the merits of the claim.

The Board has granted readjudication of the previously denied claims for Horner's syndrome, lumbar spine disability, and cervical spine disability. The claims are now remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back and neck disabilities, bilateral pes planus, right shoulder disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity numbness, and left upper extremity numbness are related to service. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection were denied as there was no evidence of an increase in severity or causation prior to October 14, 2020.,The Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for sleep apnea prior to October 17, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, back disorder, and hypertension. The Veteran's bilateral foot condition (shin splints) and vision/eye condition were not addressed in the decision.,Service connection was remanded for coronary artery disease, left leg angioplasty, right leg angioplasty, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disorder, right knee condition, and left knee condition due to a lack of adequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, but a separate 20 percent rating for voiding dysfunction is granted. The Veteran's MDD is not rated higher than 30 percent. Service connection for a cervical spine disorder is granted.