Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including CAD, hypertension, back disability, and neck disability, prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow any form of gainful employment due to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, instability, and total knee replacement, left knee scar, right-hand degenerative arthritis disability, left-hand osteoarthritis disability, and lumbosacral strain with osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine. The claims for left shoulder disability, higher evaluations for hip disabilities, and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities including hypertension, diarrhea, right knee disability, right leg disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, low back disability, and thoracic spine disability due to lack of current diagnoses.

The claim for service connection for a lower back disorder is readjudicated due to new and relevant evidence received.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.,Tinnitus has been granted as likely related to in-service noise exposure, but the Veteran's bilateral eye disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder claims require further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's SMC at the 'L' rate is based on his need for aid and attendance due to service-connected paranoid schizophrenia and bilateral upper extremity radiculitis. His remaining service-connected disabilities combine to more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent, qualifying him for a higher level of SMC 'P'.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 50 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis is denied. The Board found that the disability has been rated at its maximum and no higher ratings are warranted. For his TDIU claim, the Veteran was granted a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's left knee strain is rated at 10 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating due to limited flexion.,The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine condition is rated at 20 percent, and there is no evidence of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Board dismissed the request to reopen a service connection claim for a back disorder on the basis of new and relevant evidence because proper claims processing procedures have not been followed.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder, back, and left knee disabilities based on the evidence showing these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right bicep disability, left bicep disability, right thigh disability, and left thigh disability are granted. Service connection for the right bicep disability, left bicep disability, right thigh disability, and left thigh disability is granted based on exposure to environmental hazards in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's foot ulcers and kidney disability are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after separation from service. The back disability was productive of forward flexion greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran's kidney disability and his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for scars on the back of the neck, finding that they are related to cysts incurred during active service. The other claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities resulting in loss of use of both lower extremities. The appeal seeking a special home adaptation grant is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of individual unemployability prior to January 29, 2018. The Board has determined that he meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities but needs further review by the Director, Compensation Service due to the need for an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral foot disability, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and her military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his active service, but the VA medical opinions provided were inadequate. The case is being remanded for a new examination and opinion.