Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 12, 2020 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was denied. The Board found that no portion of the increase in his service-connected disabilities occurred within one year prior to the date of his claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical radiculopathy, back condition (claimed as lumbago), and left elbow lateral epicondylitis due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's reported pain during service and thereafter is considered in determining whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine have been withdrawn, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral elbow condition, and bilateral hip condition due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on in-service injuries and symptoms.

The Board has granted the claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The claims of service connection for lumbar spine condition, bilateral foot condition, and residuals of a right eye injury are remanded due to incomplete records.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a higher rating for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a bilateral lumbosacral disorder and anxiety/depression were dismissed as the Veteran did not file a Notice of Disagreement within one year of the August 8, 2019 decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right wrist strain and tinnitus were granted with effective dates of August 5, 2019. The claim for service connection for low back disability was remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board found clear and unmistakable error in the original grant of service connection for a back disability, as the December 2018 examiner's negative opinion was mistakenly read as positive. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted.,The Veteran's claim for readjudication of his service connection for a low back condition is remanded due to the need to verify periods of active duty and inactive duty training.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back condition is at least partially etiologically related to service and grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors, and he needs new examinations for his service-connected right foot and peripheral nerve disabilities as well as his right knee and hip disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for spinal stenosis of the lumbar spine was denied, and his claims for service connection for cervical spine degenerative joint disease (neck disability), left elbow laceration, and bilateral hearing loss were remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is proximately due to his service-connected bilateral ankle conditions and bilateral plantar fasciitis.,The Board has also granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is etiologically related to his active service.

Your claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability has been granted in a previous rating decision. Therefore, this issue is dismissed as there are no longer any pending claims.

The Veteran's GERD has been granted an initial 30 percent rating, subject to the laws and regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.,The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder has been granted a 40 percent rating, subject to the laws and regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has also been granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pseudofolliculitis barbae and sinusitis have been denied due to lack of current disability. The right wrist condition and low back condition are remanded as the VA examinations were inadequate.,Service connection cannot be granted for pseudofolliculitis barbae or sinusitis because there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is at least as likely as not related to his active-duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for various knee, ankle, foot, and neurological disorders as well as a psychiatric disorder and high blood pressure. The evidence does not show current disabilities of these conditions.