Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 10 percent, and his right lower extremity and left lower extremity radiculopathy are each rated at 10 percent. The Board denied higher ratings for these conditions throughout the period on appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection due to new evidence showing continuity of symptoms since service. The Board then granted service connection based on this continuity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused functional impairment that prevents him from obtaining or following substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, and TDIU is granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar disorder due to additional delay and confusion surrounding in-service back related complaints. Another remand is necessary to ensure substantial compliance with the May 2023 remand.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence since the April 2020 SOC. The Veteran does not have a representative at this time.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board has found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The issues of service connection for left great toe condition, left knee condition, and right foot condition have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for a low back disability and TDIU due to new evidence being added to his case file.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis was rated at 10 percent prior to August 7, 2008 and at 20 percent thereafter. The Board found no evidence of entitlement to a higher rating.,For the left lower extremity sciatic radulopathy, the Veteran was denied ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to April 16, 2019 and in excess of 20 percent from that date onwards. For right lower extremity sciatic radulopathy, he was denied ratings in excess of 20 percent prior to April 16, 2019 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter.,For the right lower extremity femoral radulopathy, the Veteran was denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent from May 6, 2019. For left lower extremity femoral radulopathy, he was also denied such a rating from that date onwards.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical and lumbar spine, as well as his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The reasons are that new VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate addendum opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neck, upper back, and right shoulder disabilities. The VA needs to provide new opinions addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was presented to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's current low back disability is found to be related to his in-service injury from a rope bridge fall, resulting in service connection being granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted for the period since February 15, 2015. The effective date of this grant is set at February 15, 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and cervical spine, as there is insufficient evidence to determine if higher ratings are warranted.

The Board denied service connection for various orthopedic conditions, including low back, cervical spine, left shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle conditions. The Veteran's hypertension was also not found to be service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives regarding the Veteran's back disability.

The appeal on the issues of entitlement to service connection for GERD, lung nodules, and a back condition is dismissed.,An effective date earlier than July 10, 2014, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for his lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spondylosis and TDIU were dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as the appellant passed away during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA and non-VA treatment records, a retrospective medical opinion on range of motion, and obtaining relevant VA treatment records from Sarasota Vet Center.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations, and additional development is needed.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the low back disability, but remanded the issues of increased ratings for the right shoulder and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to new evidence showing worsening of these conditions.