Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to a duty-to-assist error, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, right knee strain, and bilateral foot pain as he elected to pursue a supplemental claim. The appeal of his lumbosacral strain disability rating is denied as it does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, a sleep disability, a lumbar spine disability, and a migraine disability due to inadequate VA examinations and lack of adequate rationale in the previous decisions.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for low back disability, bilateral foot disability, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, low back pain, left shoulder pain, and left knee pain due to insufficient evidence. The claim for hidradenitis remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are remanded due to procedural errors and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the 50 percent evaluation of bilateral plantar fasciitis with toe deformities is denied.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left knee disorder and lower back disorder due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that his current disability is related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms more nearly approximate the criteria for a 70 percent rating, warranting an increased rating.,Service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative arthritis is remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.,The Veteran's current employment status does not affect his entitlement to service connection for DDD and degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error in relying on an inadequate VA examination opinion. The Veteran's back condition is being reviewed for its relationship to military service and whether it is secondary to his left knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition, including lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis. The evidence shows that the Veteran had an in-service injury to his lower back, which led to chronic symptoms continuing since discharge from active duty.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hand carpal tunnel syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and low back disability. The cases are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that additional medical examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential pre-decisional errors in previous VA examinations.

The Board dismissed the appeals for proposed rating reductions because no adjudicative determination was made, and the Veteran later withdrew his disagreement.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to readjudicate her previously denied claims for service connection for rectus diastasis sacroiliitis, back disorder (lumbar strain), neck disorder, skin disorder, hypertension, residuals of a miscarriage, and bilateral pronation syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding that the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service back pain were not credible.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain status, scars, and a disability of the cervical segment of the spine. The evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to a lack of VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for chronic pain, left and right knee pain, and a breathing problem were dismissed. The Veteran's claims for service connection of his left hip disability (secondary to lumbar spine) and peripheral vestibular disorder (vertigo) are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased evaluation of 20 percent or more for service-connected lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease L5-S1.