Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran is not precluded from substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities and denied the claim for a TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected low back disability aggravates his non-service-connected obstructive sleep apnea. The claim will be further evaluated with a new examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various ankle and knee conditions secondary to service-connected bilateral flat feet due to duty-to-assist errors and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, finding that it is due to the Veteran's service-connected cold weather injuries of the bilateral feet.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for the right shoulder disorder. The claims for lumbar spine, left hip, and left lower extremity radiculopathy were denied due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right hip disabilities, as these claims were previously denied in a final decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD and a low back disorder have been readjudicated. Service connection for GERD has been granted, but the claim for a low back disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability from December 10, 2012 to April 14, 2021 was denied. For the period from December 3, 2021 to April 14, 2021, he received a 40 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar spine strain with degenerative changes at T12-L1 is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the October 2021 VA examination, which did not provide information regarding functional limits during flare-ups and failed to consider the Veteran's reports of radiculopathy. The Board will schedule a new examination to address these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain and right shoulder strain and tendinopathy, both determined to be incurred during periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA).,While the Veteran's STRs do not document his injuries, he provided credible testimony about the nature of his injuries. The VA medical opinions support the finding that these conditions are related to his in-service activities.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to readjudicate the claims of entitlement to service connection for back and neck conditions. The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to a failure to provide a VA medical examination for his claimed back and neck conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for initial compensable ratings and service connection for IBS, back disability, bilateral foot disability, fibromyalgia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's back disability and neck disability were denied increased ratings.,A separate 10 percent rating was granted for left knee limitation of flexion.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and clarification of medical findings related to the Veteran's neck, low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability as secondary to the appellant's service-connected bilateral foot condition, left shoulder strain, and now-granted lumbar spine disability.,The decision also grants service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot calluses, right foot calluses, a neck disability, diabetes mellitus type 2 (diabetes), lower back disability, and right shoulder disability. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board's decision has been vacated due to procedural error, and the appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of information regarding the Veteran's dates of service and an insufficient nexus opinion. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is being reviewed again for proper medical evaluation.