Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back condition, including degenerative arthritis, finding that there is relative equipoise in the evidence regarding whether his current disability is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions. The issues include erectile dysfunction, low back condition, neck condition, headache condition, seizure condition, gastrointestinal surgery, and residuals of a head injury.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate retrospective opinion regarding passive motion for the period on appeal and a need for new examination results.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability have been denied as new and material evidence was not received within one year of the decision.,The Veteran's claim for a right wrist disability is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder (claimed as a back condition) is granted service connection. The issues of service connection for left and right elbow disorders, left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, and bladder incontinence are remanded due to the need for additional VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's hypertension has not met the criteria for a higher rating.,There is no evidence of diagnosed bilateral shoulder, low back, left wrist, or knee disabilities. The lung condition and cardiovascular disability are also not supported by evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, cervical spine disability, and thoracolumbar spine disability due to a lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

Your appeals for a higher rating for depression and to reopen your claim for low back disability have been dismissed. The Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeals, which was granted by the representative.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status or need for regular aid and attendance prior to December 14, 2019 was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him so helpless that he required regular assistance.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection and a higher rating for his low back disability. The issues of service connection for right foot, left foot, and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development and examination, including investigating his allegations of compelled in-service NSAID use and seeking medical care.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease due to lack of evidence supporting herbicide exposure in Thailand. Service connection was granted for cervical and lumbar spine conditions, but the appeal is dismissed as moot.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, a back disability, a brain tumor, bilateral eye disorder, a right knee disability, tinnitus, and a headache disorder. The decision found that the Veteran's preexisting hearing loss did not increase in severity during service.

The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) from February 15, 2023. The Veteran's other claims were denied or remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions considering his work history and lay statements regarding his ability to perform as an electrician or support technician.

The Board has withdrawn the claims for service connection for seizures and a knee disability, as well as granted service connection for low back disability and left shoulder disability.,Service connection for tinnitus was dismissed as it was already granted in an earlier decision.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder alone precludes him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and he is granted a TDIU. He also meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate due to his other service-connected disabilities. The issue of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings related to cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, mild degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity sciatica, and PTSD are being remanded due to incomplete development. Additional records need to be obtained, including VA treatment records from VistA Imaging and private chiropractic and physical therapy records. The Veteran's work history must also be updated.