Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations. The issues of service connection for psychiatric disability, urinary tract disability, increased rating for back disability, and right foot plantar fasciitis are pending.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability, left shoulder disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to insufficient evidence or procedural deficiencies.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of lumbosacral strain, citing the grant of total disability due to unemployability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to concerns about the sufficiency of the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 11, 2019 for the award of service connection of left and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy associated with lumbosacral strain. An initial rating of 100 percent for coronary artery disease is also granted.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 11, 2019 for the award of service connection of left and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy due to lumbosacral strain disability. The Veteran's coronary artery disease is also rated at 100% since September 24, 2013.

The Veteran's low back disability, including SI joint dysfunction and mild arthritic changes in the thoracic spine, ankylosing spondylitis, and degenerative arthritis of the spine, is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its onset during service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were denied as there was no new and relevant evidence presented to support the claims.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for loss of teeth due to trauma, initial rating for lumbosacral spine strain, and initial compensable rating for bilateral foot tinea pedis have all been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions based on the evidence provided.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and spinal stenosis as there is no persuasive evidence that these conditions began in service or are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee arthritis, low back condition, and right sciatica. The evidence shows that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service, particularly due to the number of jumps he performed as a paratrooper.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 1, 2012 for the Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility. The decision is based on the fact that the Veteran became unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities starting from January 26, 2009.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 10 percent, and an increased rating higher than 10 percent is not warranted.,An increased rating of 70 percent for schizoaffective disorder from April 14, 2019, is granted. The Veteran also received a 100 percent rating effective October 21, 2019.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted and effective since April 14, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, back, and bilateral knee disorders due to insufficient evidence indicating a relationship between these conditions and service. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection due to lack of evidence showing disability manifestations prior to April 14, 2021.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for lumbosacral strain, left hand strain, and right hand strain due to a lack of clear and unmistakable evidence that these conditions existed prior to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and radiculopathy right lower extremity, are alleged to have caused or aggravated his sleep apnea. The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not addressing this theory of entitlement and requires a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims due to a failure to provide a new VA examination and medical opinion in light of the Veteran's complaints of functional impairment, as per Saunders v. Wilkie (2018).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral knee disabilities are not attributable to active military service.