Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, finding that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain and degenerative spine disease were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for thoracolumbar spine disorders, including IVDS and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. Additional development is needed, including obtaining VA treatment records and private medical records from Kaiser Permanente.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including bronchial asthma, thoracolumbar spine disorder, tinnitus, and cervical spine disorder, have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment since June 22, 2018. The Board has granted a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for a lower back disorder and for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine range of motion during flare-ups. The case is returned for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions, including a right shoulder condition, back condition, bilateral knee condition, skin cancer, neck disorder, prostate disorder, otitis externa, and left ear hearing loss. The issues have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in its previous decision regarding service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with a new examination and consideration of whether his condition is related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left tarsal tunnel syndrome, finding that it is related to his service-connected left ankle sprain and lumbar spine radiculopathy. The appeal for staged disability ratings for left ankle sprain residuals remains pending.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a lumbar spine disability, including bulging disc at L5-S1, due to an inadequate examination opinion. The case will be returned for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's lumbar spine and right ankle disorders are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and service connection for spinal stenosis due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's disability picture must be evaluated with an adequate VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability and left shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service accident.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis.

The Veteran's appeal of the rating assigned for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The issues of service connection for neurological impairment of the bilateral lower extremities are also remanded as VA failed to fulfill its duty to assist.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to his current condition and noting that any continuity of symptoms does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to March 11, 2023, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error, specifically the lack of an adequate VA examination addressing the combined effects of her service-connected disabilities on her employment potential.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing current disability. The claim for lumbar spine disability is remanded as there was no VA examination prior to the February 2020 rating decision.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted a 20 percent rating.,Service connection for migraines is granted.