Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that there is not enough evidence to decide these issues at this time.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an initial compensable rating for right testicular torsion, but granted a separate 10 percent rating for scars associated with his orchiopexy. The Board found no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the combined disability rating percentage requirements for consideration of a TDIU prior to August 14, 2020. The case is remanded for further evaluation and referral to the VA Director of Compensation Service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, depression, Parkinson's with dementia, lower back disability, right knee and left knee disabilities, right hip and left hip disabilities, and right foot and left foot disabilities. The evidence does not support a finding of current diagnoses or a link to active service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, finding that his symptoms more nearly approximated a 40 percent evaluation based on limited range of motion.

The Board has remanded the case due to new service department records received after the initial decision. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability will be reconsidered in light of these additional records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip disorder, right hip disorder, back disorder, and shrapnel fragment lodged in the left side of the head are remanded due to a lack of VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for herniated disc of the lumbar spine, acute sinusitis with sinus headaches, and pingueculas of the bilateral eyes are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right hand, left hand, right hip pain, left hip pain, right foot pes planus, and low back condition due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for lumbosacral strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) was denied.,Both conditions were granted based on a September 2020 VA examination, which indicated that the condition was a complication of the Veteran's lumbosacral strain.

The Board has determined that there are errors in the decision and remands the case for a new VA examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for his thoracolumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back pain, TDIU prior to March 6, 2020, and DEA benefits due to procedural errors in obtaining relevant evidence.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been received to readjudicate the claims for service connection for traumatic brain injury, bilateral knee condition, back condition, irritable bowel syndrome, and temporomandibular joint syndrome. The claim of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is granted. The remaining claims are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

Service connection is granted for low back disorder.,Service connection is denied for PTSD and bilateral kidney condition, upper left and right extremity neuropathy, lower left and right extremity neuropathy, as well as left and right eye conditions.,The appeal for service connection for heart condition and diabetes mellitus type II is remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the low back is rated at 40 percent, but no higher, effective September 11, 2006.,An increased rating of 40 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity from February 20, 2019 forward has been granted.,An increased rating of 40 percent for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity from February 20, 2019 forward has also been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine strain, degenerative joint disease, psychiatric disability (PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus disabilities prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU for the entire appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current thoracolumbar spine disability, including spondylolisthesis with evidence of arthritis of the lumbar spine, was incurred in service and is related to military service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment, which meets the criteria for TDIU.