Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with spondylosis and degenerative arthritis on an aggravation basis, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing back disability was aggravated during his periods of active service from June 2010 to March 2011 and May 2013 to January 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus by way of aggravation and for lumbar spine strain, finding that the Veteran's conditions were aggravated beyond their natural progression during his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 20, 2019, for the award of an initial 40% rating for IVDS with lumbar spondylolisthesis due to lack of factual ascertainability that his disability resulted in forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less.

The claims of entitlement to service connection for right foot, left foot, and groin conditions are dismissed. The claims of entitlement to service connection for varicose veins (claimed as bilateral leg problems and bad veins) and lower back condition are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy (to include as secondary to lumbosacral strain), and left knee condition. Service connection was denied for left hip condition and right hip condition due to lack of evidence of current disability.

Your claims for service connection have been granted, but the VA will need to verify your military service and obtain any missing records before making a final determination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. Service connection is established for a cervical spine disorder, numbness in left arm, and numbness in left hand.

The Board has found that the Veteran's thoracic artery calcification claim is denied due to a prohibition against service connection for disabilities resulting from tobacco use during service. The esophageal disability, kidney disability, and lumbar spine disability claims are remanded as there were duty-to-assist errors in obtaining VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for back disability, right ankle disability, eczema, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and shortness of breath as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an additional VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability. The claim will be reconsidered based on this new information.

The Board has determined that the VA did not make reasonable efforts to obtain all relevant private treatment records and additional medical examinations are needed to assess the severity of the appellant's disabilities. The claims for increased ratings will be remanded.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error and to obtain additional medical evidence regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of TDIU, which was granted on November 16, 2021. The Board finds that additional efforts are necessary to determine if the Veteran's employment constituted a protected environment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues with service connection and rating of the lumbar spine disability. The effective date for service connection remains prior to December 23, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (lumbosacral strain, bilateral radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and tinnitus) are preventing him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error has been made and remands for VA to obtain Social Security Administration records relevant to his TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease with sacroiliac arthropathy, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus to service. The disability is considered to be due to post-service work injuries.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings and service connection were dismissed due to untimely filings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various types of chronic pain syndrome were denied, and the effective date was not granted earlier than May 2, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hammer toes and lower back disability, finding no current diagnoses or evidence of in-service events that could support these claims.

The reduction in rating for residuals of service-connected lumbar degenerative arthritis from 40 percent to 20 percent effective May 12, 2022 is improper and void ab initio. The petition to reverse the reduction is granted.,Effective dates are granted for service connection for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity and left elbow supination.