Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a lower back disability, including scoliosis and degenerative disc disease, due to incomplete development of records and need for clarification of medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an initial rating for tension headaches due to incomplete compliance with prior remand requests.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of vascular headaches, back disability, and bilateral plantar fasciitis have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The current rating decisions do not address the assigned ratings or effective dates.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hip bursitis and low back condition with bilateral upper and lower neuropathy, finding new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded to determine if service connection can be established.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for post-traumatic brain injury headaches, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's headache disability is rated noncompensable prior to April 21, 2021, while a separate rating of 10 percent but no higher for right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted from August 18, 2022.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and left foot radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are proximately due to his service-connected right tibia stress fracture with knee impairment.

The Board has remanded three issues: a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar sprain with degenerative changes, service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, including lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for back, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities, as well as a sinus disability. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the current diagnoses and military service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected back conditions and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an addendum opinion regarding the ameliorative effects of medication on his condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that new evidence had not been submitted to reopen his tinnitus claim, but remanded other issues including depression, lower extremity radiculopathy, shoulder disabilities, knee disabilities, lumbar spine disability, neck disability, hip disabilities, irritable colon syndrome, and bladder disability.

The Board has determined that additional medical records are needed to fully evaluate the Veteran's claims, including for his respiratory disability, GERD, lipoma, allergic rhinitis, erectile dysfunction, kidney disease, dizziness, and low back condition. The examination is also necessary to address the impact of toxic exposure risk activities (TERAs) on these conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathies have been granted initial ratings of 40 percent each, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability of disc degeneration and segmental dysfunction of the lumbar spine, a neck disability of disc degeneration and segmental dysfunction of the cervical spine, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The criteria for direct service connection have been met in all cases.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the April 2023 remand directives and thus another remand is required for a new VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's back disability. The service connection for neck disability remains inextricably intertwined with the back disability, so both issues are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to issues with contacting him, including incarceration and homelessness. The RO is instructed to attempt to verify his current address and schedule examinations.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to various conditions, and the Board has determined that additional evidence must be considered before a final decision can be made.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine, bilateral knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle disorders due to insufficient development in prior remands.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for obtaining SSA records and providing a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disorders, as they are inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.