Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2024

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability is moot due to a grant of service connection in a previous rating decision.

The Board has identified errors in the AOJ's decision and has remanded the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's participation in a TERA, as well as for obtaining private treatment records. The PACT Act requires VA to obtain medical nexus opinions and examinations for claimed disabilities with possible associations to toxic exposure.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection under the PACT Act, and his tinnitus is granted service connection. The lumbar spine disability issue is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal concerning increased ratings for left knee and lumbosacral strains, and for chronic lymphedema.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 26, 2016 for service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The appeal was found to be final due to lack of timely submission and new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the effective dates for the grants of service connection were not earlier than June 11, 2021.,Hearing loss was rated as noncompensable (0 percent) since June 11, 2021.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to his service-connected disabilities of degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine with spinal fusion and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, is denied because the evidence does not support a finding that obesity (an intermediate step) was caused or aggravated by these service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing service treatment records and insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is related to his active service.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and back disabilities. The Veteran's right leg disability was considered in conjunction with the back disability.,There is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after active duty that could be presumed due to exposure to Agent Orange or Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility awards are granted effective February 14, 2022. The VA has also awarded service connection for back and shoulder disabilities with initial ratings effective the same date.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, right ankle, left hip, right hip, left knee, right knee, and back disabilities due to a lack of competent and probative evidence indicating current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the condition had its onset during service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right shoulder disorders due to a claims processing defect.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a recurrent headache disability and a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral spine intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and bilateral sacroiliitis are being remanded due to the need for further medical examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for gastroenteritis and colitis, hemorrhoids, and left knee pain. Service connection was granted for a low back disability.,Service connection for right eye injury is remanded.

The Veteran's migraine/tension headaches are granted as service-connected, with effective date of November 20, 2024.,Service connection for degenerative joint disease and strain of the thoracolumbar spine is granted, effective September 10, 2015. The earlier effective date claim is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and ulnar nerve impingement disorders due to the need for additional medical opinions addressing causation and aggravation.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for a back condition and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of new and relevant evidence submitted within the required timeframes.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, left and right hip strains, left and right knee conditions, and tinnitus have been granted. The Veteran is also assigned a 10 percent rating for each of the affected limbs.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to determine if any lumbar spine disorder, including lumbosacral strain, is related to military service.