Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine injury pain and cervical spine injury pain as claimed, finding no current diagnoses related to these conditions during the appeal period.,Service connection was not granted due to a lack of evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that his current symptoms are related to his service-connected left shoulder disability. The Board considered new evidence submitted by the Veteran and found it relevant to the issue of whether his cervical spine disability is aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, indicating he no longer wished to pursue the claims for service connection and rating determinations related to right lumbar radiculopathy, left lumbar radiculopathy, IBS, a lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle, right knee, and left knee conditions are etiologically related to service.,Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were granted, with the effective date set at November 21, 2019. The Board found that the Veteran had submitted an intent to file a claim on November 21, 2019, and filed his formal application in September 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her lower back disability and sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for both conditions, but she contends that these should be higher.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's low back, right knee, left knee, right shoulder, and left shoulder conditions are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's psychiatric condition (including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder) and hypertension are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and thoracolumbar spine disorder due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board requires an adequate VA examination to clarify whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause him to require the aid and attendance of another.

The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's lumbar myositis, low back sprain condition, finding that the evidence did not show forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 30 degrees or less or favorable ankylosis. The current evaluation of 20 percent is therefore maintained.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability was rated at 10 percent from December 18, 2018 to November 20, 2019. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet criteria for a higher rating during this period.

The Board has granted service connection for a back condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee iliotibial band syndrome and strain with shin splints, and also granted service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board has readjudicated the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart condition, and hypertension due to new evidence submitted since the August 2019 rating decision. The Veteran's stressor statement provided in March 2020 was considered, along with VA treatment records and a VA examination, which supported reopening of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a low back disorder was dismissed because the Notice of Disagreement was not filed within one year from the date of the July 2003 decision.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various knee and hip disabilities, as well as a low back disability, all secondary to service-connected left ankle disability. Additional development is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The appellant has withdrawn all appeals related to various conditions, including scar from fibular fracture repair and right knee strain. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine including bilateral sacroiliitis with sclerosis of the sacroiliac joints was denied. The Board has determined that an updated VA examination is needed to properly rate this disability, specifically whether separate ratings are warranted for associated neurological disability (radiculopathy).

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent disabling for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of L4-5 and L5-S1 with spondylolisthesis and retrolisthesis, which was previously denied. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his in-service complaints and treatment.