Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for a back disability, including whether it is related to active service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his lumbosacral strain and right lower extremity radiculopathy were denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for these conditions have been withdrawn.

The Board has granted service connection for left ankle degenerative arthritis, left leg tibia and fibula malunion with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis and DDD with neural impingement at the C6-C7 disc, and right shoulder tendonitis and arthritis.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for the residuals of a stroke and entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus, the claim for this condition is denied.,The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, and heart disability to obtain medical opinions regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent is remanded as the SOC has not yet been issued.,All other claims are remanded.

Effective June 8, 2007, to January 25, 2017, the Veteran's thoracolumbar scoliosis with degenerative changes was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases due to issues related to lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and a claim for TDIU prior to January 17, 2019. The case will be referred to the Director, Compensation & Pension Service, for extraschedular consideration of the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, and residual scar of pilonidal cyst removal were received by VA on September 22, 2015. The Board denied the requests for effective dates prior to this date.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain was also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen service connection for a back disability is granted. The appeals for increased ratings of bilateral foot pes planus deformities, diabetes mellitus, gouty arthritis of the bilateral elbows, nephrolithiasis, and TDIU are all remanded.

The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to make a fully informed decision on the Veteran's claim and remands for further development, including obtaining retrospective range of motion estimates.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU effective December 15, 2016, on a schedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The extraschedular TDIU claim between April 1, 2016, and December 15, 2016, is remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of bilateral lower extremities, finding that the Veteran's disabilities were aggravated by his service-connected right thigh injury. The rating assigned is 20% for the lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability due to insufficient medical opinions and a failure to provide a DRO hearing. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for shoulder, foot, and back disabilities due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners. The Veteran must provide more responsive opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service or their relationship to active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and review due to concerns about the qualifications of the examiners who conducted the October 2023 C&P examinations. The Veteran's representative requested additional information about the qualifications of these examiners, and a new examination is needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to his current condition and that the medical records do not support a direct link between his military service and his diagnosed back disability.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for low back disability and bilateral knee disability due to missing service treatment records.,The VA examiner did not provide a sufficient rationale based on the available evidence, including the Veteran's in-service duties.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right hip disorder and lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and evaluation of his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar spine, bilateral foot, hearing loss, gastritis, GERD, sleep apnea, headaches, vision impairment, cervicalgia, knee disabilities, hip strains, and ankle strains.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc and joint disease, diabetes mellitus, and brain tumor is remanded due to the need for further development regarding her exposure history.