Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and left knee disorders due to a change in how VA must determine secondary service connection. The Veteran's claim is being reviewed to see if his current conditions would have developed without his pre-existing hip disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, left ankle condition, dry eyes syndrome, and back condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an abscess is denied. The claims for service connection for a back disability, cervical spine disability, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's duty status during relevant periods of service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities due to new and material evidence. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and consideration of his claim for increased ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), lumbar disc disease, status postoperative discectomy for herniated nucleus pulposus at the L5-S1.

The Veteran's low back disability and related sciatic radiculopathies of the left and right lower extremities are rated at a 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with L5 herniated nucleus pulposus and intervertebral disc syndrome (low back disability) from September 8, 2015. The Veteran's low back disability is also rated at a 60 percent based on incapacitating episodes of IVDS since October 30, 2019.

The Board has ordered additional evidentiary development for the Veteran's increased rating claims and TDIU claim due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The claims are being remanded until such evidence is obtained.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, Persistent Depressive Disorder, and Anxiety Disorder).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that there is no medical evidence or credible lay evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially rated as noncompensable prior to June 3, 2022, and increased to 30 percent effective June 3, 2022.,For the lumbar spine disability, a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 25, 2022 was denied. Effective May 25, 2022, a rating in excess of 40 percent is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is not related to his period of active service and is more likely due to a workplace injury in 2002. Service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted service connection and an initial rating of 30% for ethmoid fracture residuals is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (claimed as peripheral neuropathy). Service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches secondary to his cervical spine disability is granted. Other issues are remanded, and the effective date of TDIU is set prior to February 23, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral hearing loss, and residuals of a left little finger amputation due to incomplete medical records. The Veteran's service connection claims have been granted in full.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability claim is remanded for further development to assess the severity and duration of flareups, as well as whether there is ankylosis or functional equivalent thereof.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back condition, right knee condition (claimed as right leg condition), and right foot condition. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability and bilateral knee disability secondary to low back disability, finding that the Veteran's statements regarding her symptoms are credible and resolving reasonable doubt in her favor.

The Veteran's service connection claim for migraine headaches is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether current migraines are related to service, and thus grants service connection on a direct basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with prior remand directives and new evidence related to the Veteran's lower back condition.