Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a back disability are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The Board finds the VA examinations insufficient as they did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, thoracolumbar spine disorder, and right testicle disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous VA examinations. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and rating issues related to low back pain, contact dermatitis, migraine headaches, PTSD, sleep apnea, IBS, left ear hearing loss, bilateral knees, and bilateral shoulders as untimely.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from August 1, 2018 to September 9, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities making him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at 30 percent effective December 11, 2019. The Veteran's degenerative disc disease L5-S1 is currently rated at 20 percent. Separate ratings of 20 percent each are granted for left and right lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection due to improper appeal form and lack of jurisdiction over the issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for depression, anxiety, a back condition, and a left knee condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back condition and stomach ulcers due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 60 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy but has remanded the issue of increased rating for degenerative disc disease, cervical spine (post-ACDF).

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for a low back condition, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis. The decision is based on an inadequate VA examination that did not address whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities aggravated his low back condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition, finding that new and relevant evidence supports this determination. The evidence is at least in balance as to whether the Veteran's current condition is related to his active-duty service.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claim for service connection for an upper back disability, to include a cervical spine disability and/or thoracic spine disability can be adjudicated. The case is REMANDED for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to outstanding SSA records and VA treatment records, as well as inadequate opinions regarding service connection for sleep apnea. The issues include rating adjustments for low back disability and determining whether sleep apnea is related to service or aggravated by other conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The claim to reopen a previously denied hip osteoarthritis was granted, but the new evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lower lumbar spine, bursitis, asthma, right hip strain, and left hip strain are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.,The Veteran contends that her current conditions began during or shortly after her military service. The Board finds that further development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development on several issues, including service connection claims and disability rating determinations.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective December 6, 2023. The Board has granted this rating for the entire period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, and cervical spine disability due to procedural errors in previous decisions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any lumbar spine disorder, including whether it is related to service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and posterior tibialis tendinopathy.

The Veteran was previously employed as an office manager until November 29, 2021. He is now unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disorder.,Effective from November 29, 2021, the Veteran's TDIU claim has been granted.