Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's diagnosed low back disability is etiologically related to his active service. The criteria to establish entitlement to service connection are met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen his claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The low back disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is likely related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for service-connected PTSD has been withdrawn. The issues of service connection for a chronic sinus condition and allergies (claimed as chronic allergy) are remanded, while the issue of an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected thoracolumbar spine disc protrusion is also remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee disability and remanded the issue of service connection for mild degenerative changes of low back.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded for additional development and clarification of his conditions, exposure basis, and theories of entitlement. The issues include bilateral hand disability, hypertension, cervical degenerative disc disease, lumbar degenerative disease, respiratory disability (asthma), bilateral hearing loss, and left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and fibromyalgia have been denied. The Veteran has been granted a 50% rating for migraine headaches, effective August 1, 2014, with no higher ratings allowed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for radiculopathy of bilateral lower extremities, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine strain. The claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional evidence must be considered by the AOJ before a final decision can be made on the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee strain, right knee strain, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right shoulder, right hip, and bilateral ankle disabilities. Additionally, the Board has also granted service connection for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and Gulf War Illness (GWI) based on new evidence received since the last decision.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of these issues. The appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to medications taken for service-connected disabilities was remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was granted a rating of 20 percent prior to February 24, 2021. The Board found that the Veteran's functional limitations caused by pain and during flare-ups warranted this rating.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a sleep disorder and back disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities separate from his service-connected conditions.,The VA examiner found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of a sleep disorder, separate and distinct from his PTSD. The examiner also opined that the Veteran's claimed sleep disorder is less likely than not secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before any of the Veteran's claims can be adjudicated, including obtaining relevant treatment records and scheduling medical examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a low back disability was granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied, but the case for service connection of a right knee disability is remanded.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations did not provide sufficient information to identify periods of increased and/or decreased severity resulting from flare-ups. The claims are therefore being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical strain, TBI, lumbar condition, and left knee injury due to insufficient evidence.,Further medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, effective July 2, 2018.,A 20 percent rating was assigned for right lower extremity radiculopathy, also effective July 2, 2018.

The Veteran's radiculopathy in the right and left lower extremities were granted service connection effective December 12, 2011. Effective dates for TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate are also established.

The Veteran's service connection claims for headache disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted. The claim for lower back disorder is denied.