Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is denied. The appeal to reduce radiculopathy ratings (right and left lower extremities) is dismissed as no final decision has been made.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar fusion with IVDS, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar fusion with IVDS. The decision is based on continuity of symptomatology from service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied, and their lumbar spine disability remains at a 40 percent rating. The appeal to reopen the depressive disorder claim is dismissed.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and cervical radiculopathy. The Veteran's GERD claim is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as there was no credible evidence linking them to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for OSA and the restoration of a 20% disability rating for right knee disability. The Veteran's PTSD, back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy were all denied increased ratings.

The Veteran's PTSD, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right knee PFS with limitation of flexion and extension, and left knee PFS with limitation of flexion and extension are all rated as they currently stand.,An initial rating higher than the current ratings for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is caused and/or aggravated by his service-connected right foot plantar fasciitis, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and left knee disorder due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran is entitled to a VA examination to obtain an etiology opinion regarding his claimed disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee conditions, as well as his lumbar spine degenerative disc and joint disease (IVDS), require further examination and development due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions.

The Board has dismissed the service connection claim for a skin condition. The claims for lumbar spine, left knee, left hip, and right hip disabilities have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues is remanded due to a lack of adequate medical examination in the April 2022 VA examination. The examiner did not address whether the conditions of service are related to his current disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, back disability, and ankle disability render him unable to secure and maintain a substantially gainful occupation from May 7, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, and right shoulder strain with sternal clavicular malunion. Service connection for right knee strain is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted his claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Unemployability (TDIU) effective from May 28, 2020.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including failing to obtain a VA examination and associate non-VA medical records with the claims file.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining complete medical records and a PACT Act opinion is required.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and therefore the claim for TDIU was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for clarification from a VA examiner regarding the nature and cause of the Veteran's current back disabilities, specifically whether they are related to his preexisting condition or if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that it did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for his service-connected back disability before December 29, 2000 is granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's chronic fatigue symptoms and their relationship to service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his reported fatigue/sleep disorder, including CFS.