Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for GERD, left shoulder disorder, low back disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and carpal tunnel syndrome due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip condition, finding that the evidence does not support a link to active-duty service.,Service connection for a heart condition is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum VA medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's cervical spine DDD produces symptoms functionally equivalent to unfavorable ankylosis of the cervical spine.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is granted as service-connected. The issues of right knee, left knee, and right foot disabilities are remanded for further review.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions and a missed in-person examination, requiring further evaluation of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for low back disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and femoral nerve impairment due to inadequate medical examinations and lack of clarity regarding whether ankylosis is present.

The appeals for service connection for joint pain and fatigue have been dismissed. The claims for service connection for a back condition and peripheral neuropathy, to include as secondary to the Veteran's low back condition, are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for higher ratings due to conflicting range of motion measurements in previous examinations. New VA examinations are needed to determine the current severity of his low back, neck, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disorders were incurred during or as a result of his military service, and thus granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left hip disabilities, as well as an increased rating of 20 percent for lumbar strain. The claim for a temporary total rating based on convalescence is remanded.

The Veteran's surviving spouse was awarded attorney fees based on the full amount of past-due benefits awarded in the May 2023 Rating Decision, rather than the actual amount paid.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder claim is remanded due to new evidence indicating a change in diagnosis from borderline personality disorder to bipolar disorder.,The Veteran's left and right knee disability claims are remanded as there is new evidence of ongoing pain since service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and increased rating for the listed conditions.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 40 percent rating for his lumbar spine spondylolisthesis with degenerative disc disease, finding that the reduction from 40 to 20 percent was improper due to a failure to consider whether there was actual improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for left shoulder strain, right wrist injury and associated residuals, and service connection for left sciatica. The Veteran's complaints of functional loss will be considered during the remand process.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been received to readjudicate the claims of service connection for lumbar spine disability, headaches, head injury, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension. The Veteran's request for additional records was not addressed prior to the decision on appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a back disability and head disability. The decision on the back disability claim is final as it was not granted, while the head disability claim is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sciatica, lower back condition, and bilateral plantar fasciitis as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability. The VA examinations were inadequate in addressing both causation and aggravation.