Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar degenerative joint disease, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressive disorder, peripheral nerve conditions, and right shoulder osteoarthritis preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The appeal is dismissed because the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to his service-connected disabilities has been resolved by a prior grant of service connection.

The Veteran's back disability, left and right hip strains, and adjustment disorder are all granted. The rating for the hip strains is set at 40 percent each.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the care or assistance of another on a regular basis, and the Board has granted entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The appeal regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for MDD with unspecified anxiety disorder, lumbosacral strain, and TMJ was denied. The Veteran's seborrhea dermatitis and nephrolithiasis were also denied.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left leg sciatic nerve disability, and right leg sciatic nerve disability, all related to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial for service connection for low back pain was dismissed because he did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) within one year after receiving the July 2014 rating decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy, including as secondary to a service-connected condition. The decision found that there was no in-service injury or disease related to these conditions, and thus service connection is not warranted.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was rated at 50% initially but is now rated at 70%, effective November 3, 2017.,Right knee contusion and instability were both granted service connection with an effective date of June 19, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted as secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).,A rating of 20 percent for lumbar strain is granted, but the Veteran's request for a higher rating for left shoulder sprain is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and hip conditions are dismissed. Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for low back disability is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, both secondary to the Veteran's in-service injuries. The Veteran's current conditions are considered service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral wrist strain, right ankle strain, lumbosacral strain, and right knee strain are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and her right hip disability (limitation of extension) is rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that neither condition warrants a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine, including an assessment of lumbar radiculopathy.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative joint disease and lumbar strain required surgery on May 18, 2022 which necessitated at least one month of convalescence. The Board granted a temporary total rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 based on this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for chronic fatigue syndrome, headache syndrome, and lumbar spondylosis have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeals.

The Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathy were granted a disability rating of 20 percent from February 18, 2020 to February 23, 2023.,A disability rating in excess of 50 percent for the low back disability was denied.