Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran was granted service connection for a low back disability and assigned a 40 percent rating effective June 2, 2008.,Effective June 2, 2008, the Veteran also received ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with his low back disability.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for increased ratings on several service-connected conditions are dismissed as the claims were filed under a legacy system and not the AMA.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disorder and right knee disorder as caused by his service-connected left knee disability due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his service-connected asthma and lumbar spine disability have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in a written statement.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings and effective dates, as well as service connection claims related to sciatica, degenerative disc disease, adjustment disorder, right shoulder impingement syndrome, and heart condition secondary to weight gain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board finds the February 2019 and July 2019 VA examinations insufficient and requires additional evaluations.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy are currently rated at the maximum allowed, and no higher rating is warranted.,The Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy is also rated at the maximum allowed, and no higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her service-connected back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied. The current ratings are higher than the requested increases.

The Veteran's claim for individual unemployability was granted from October 1, 2011. The effective date is set at this time as the evidence shows he was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability and tinnitus.,Secondary service connection claims for left upper extremity and right upper extremity disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine has been granted.,Claims for service connection for right hip strain with osteoarthritis and left hip strain with osteoarthritis have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disorder is granted service connection. The cervical spine condition is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to right and left knee disabilities, as well as back and neck disabilities, require further examination and analysis due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions. The claims are being remanded to allow for these issues to be addressed.

The Veteran's request for an extension of the delimiting date for his Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance benefits beyond December 1, 2018 is granted due to medical infeasibility caused by various disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA medical opinion to determine if his back disorder, including chronic pain, was caused or aggravated by service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, a left hip disability, a back disability, a heart disability, a left knee disability, and a right knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to military service.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, a bilateral hip disability, and a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is presumed to have existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service.,Service connection for the Veteran’s bilateral hip disability and lumbar spine disability were also denied as they did not manifest within one year of discharge from service or are not otherwise related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a back condition. The TDIU claim is being remanded to assign appropriate disability ratings and effective dates.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability rating from 20% to 10% was improper and restored the previous 20% rating effective April 1, 2021.

The Veteran's hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and obstructive sleep apnea were not incurred during active duty or within one year of separation from active duty. The lumbar spine disorder was not diagnosed during a period of qualifying service.,Service connection for these conditions is denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease.