Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's request for an extension of time to file a VA Form 10182 seeking to appeal the April 2021 rating decision was granted. The May 23, 2023 form is deemed timely.

The Veteran's low back strain/sprain is rated at 20 percent, but no higher, for the period on appeal.,Ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability, finding that the current condition is related to an in-service motorcycle accident. The claim was reopened due to new and relevant evidence received since the previous denial.

The Board has remanded the claims for PTSD, chronic lower back condition, and HTN due to insufficient medical evidence on file. The Veteran is not afforded a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability had its onset during service and is related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.,Service connection was also denied for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to a lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives regarding a retrospective medical opinion on the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right ankle disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, left wrist disability, and right wrist disability. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these disabilities began during active service or were related to an in-service injury.,For the low back disability, the VA examiner found no chronicity of complaints or findings from service to present day.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and other disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU. Prior to May 18, 2022, he was also granted SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has decided the claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension. The hypertension claim is now pending again, requiring further examination and analysis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 29, 2019. The Board denied the claim for TDIU as he was employed full-time until that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and missing service records. The Veteran's claim for service connection is now before the Board again.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise and, therefore, service connection for a low back disorder is granted.

Your claim for service connection for low back disability has been granted, and the effective date is November 15, 2017. The appeal is dismissed as moot because your benefit was already awarded.

The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent. Other conditions have either been denied or are not at issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on functional loss or incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity have all been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee strain with arthritis. The claim for female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.