Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted a TDIU rating based on the Veteran's combination of service-connected disabilities from March 19, 2015 to July 19, 2018. The effective date for this award is March 19, 2015.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's back disability and address the July 2020 private examination findings of radiculopathy. The appeal will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining a full June 6, 2005 VA physical report and an addendum opinion to determine the nature and etiology of the lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's vertigo and left knee disability are currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The right knee disability is also rated at 10 percent prior to June 24, 2021, but granted an initial rating of 10 percent since that date. The lumbar spine disability remains rated at 10 percent regardless of the effective date.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability is granted. The claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, secondary to the back disability, are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA treatment records, specifically a 2013 neck x-ray from El Centro Regional Medical Center. The Veteran needs to provide or attempt to obtain this record.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records. The Veteran was previously assigned a rating of 10 percent for his service-connected back condition, but now seeks higher ratings.

The appeal is dismissed for TDIU, and the lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy claims are remanded.

The Veteran's pension benefits were adjusted based on his income from Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits, and he is no longer entitled to a higher rate of nonservice-connected disability pension benefits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right hip disability, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability due to incomplete medical records and insufficient examination reports. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it depends on the outcome of these other claims.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection and increased ratings for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and back condition require additional medical examination to determine their etiology and severity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back and right knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset of symptoms.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to outstanding VA treatment records and non-VA community care treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient evidence from a previous examination. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of right foot fracture has been reopened due to new evidence provided since the last denial.,The Veteran's claim for lumbar spine disability, including DDD, has been reopened due to new evidence provided since the last denial. The Board finds that the Veteran's condition is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased disability ratings and service connection are denied.,The Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date prior to November 22, 2015, for the grant of increased disability ratings for his lumbosacral strain and residuals of a right second metacarpal fracture.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is also denied as there was no factual ascertainable increase in disability prior to November 22, 2015.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine as there is no evidence that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's back disability and its relation to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to new evidence indicating possible increases in his service-connected conditions. The cases are being remanded for additional VA examinations.