Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine disability and right shoulder condition as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 40 percent from April 25, 2013 to March 12, 2019. From March 12, 2019 onwards, the rating for lumbosacral strain is denied. The left lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 10 percent effective from March 12, 2019.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spondylosis, L5-S1 neural foraminal stenosis with IVDS. The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis is rated at 20 percent due to the presence of functional loss and pain during range of motion testing.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a left knee disability and a back disability due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection. The appellant's service records indicate possible active duty status on April 17, 1991, but this needs verification. VA examinations are also needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine being 30 degrees or less, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, or IVDS with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months. The Veteran's service connection claims for sciatica and right knee disability were also denied.

The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for a retrospective medical opinion to determine the severity of the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability prior to September 1, 2020.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back pain, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that the condition began during active service and continues to this day.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The issues are related to thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis.

The rating reduction from 40 percent to 20 percent for the Veteran's back disability was not proper, and the appeal to restore the 40 percent rating is granted.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis, right knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and left and right ankle sprain are all granted. The effective dates for these ratings have not been specified.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine disability, finding that it was incurred in or caused by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of lumbosacral spine and IVDS is granted with an effective date of June 27, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring additional medical opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability and abdominal or gastrointestinal disability.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis, hepatitis B, osteoarthritis with avascular necrosis left hip, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy left lower extremity are all denied as new and relevant evidence has not been submitted to support the Veteran's claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for his lumbar spine and left knee conditions, finding that these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee condition.,Both conditions were found to be related to the Veteran's altered gait as a result of his right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for lumbosacral strain (claimed as a back condition) due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether it is related to military service or aggravated by preexisting scoliosis.

The Veteran's PTSD, low back pain and strain, left shoulder pain and strain, right shoulder pain and strain, left hand numbness, left hand pain, right hand numbness, right hand pain, and right ankle pain and strain have been granted service connection.,A VA examination is required to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that his symptoms had their initial onset during service and have continued to worsen since then. The decision is based on the Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset and continuity of his lumbar spine symptoms.

The Veteran's lower back disability is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for tinnitus cannot be established.