Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions addressing all relevant evidence and periods of service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating due to her service-connected disabilities, finding that her education and work history did not support a conclusion that she was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected left shoulder disability was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal.,The claim for service connection for headaches has been reopened based on new and material evidence. The Board finds that the Veteran's headache disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service.,The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis was remanded.,The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus was remanded.,The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disability was remanded.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED) is remanded.,Service connection for a sleep disorder, to include sleep apnea, is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities were granted with effective dates of October 23, 2001 and February 27, 2001 respectively. The Board found clear and unmistakable error in the original rating decisions that assigned earlier effective dates.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability and a separate rating of 10 percent for right knee instability. The issue of increased rating for right knee disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine, left knee, and bilateral hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions regarding flare-ups.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed. The claims for service connection for a throat condition, including throat cancer; diabetes mellitus; bilateral knee disabilities; lumbosacral strain; and COPD were all denied as new and material evidence had not been received to reopen these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion, and additional evidence is needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic cervical spine disorder, finding that there was no evidence of arthritis in service or within one year after service. The Board also found that the current diagnosis is not related to his service, including a fall during National Guard service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a back disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.,For TDIU, the Board also denied the claim as there is not sufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted a 20 percent evaluation prior to October 19, 2022 and denied any higher rating thereafter. The appeal is remanded for further action on the issue of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and lower back conditions due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for addendum opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for a torn right quadriceps disability and denied service connection for a low back disability. The torn right quadriceps disability is found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected left quadriceps disability.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disorders due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for medical opinions regarding his service-connected left knee disability, as well as his claimed right knee, hip, and lumbar radiculopathy disabilities. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further consideration.

The Veteran's service connection claim for recurrent lumbar spine injury residuals including degenerative disc disease is granted. The claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities are remanded, as is the hearing loss claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including VA examinations and consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating in excess of 40 percent for service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome (back disorder) is denied. The Board found that from October 2, 2017, the criteria for a higher initial disability rating have not been met or more nearly approximated.

The Veteran's vertigo, seizure disorder, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability (lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar spondylolisthesis, and spondylosis with radiculopathy), diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, bilateral eye disability, tinnitus, hypertension, chronic memory loss disability, chronic headache disability, major depressive disorder, right foot disability, right knee disability, arthritis, left foot disability, left knee disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability are not supported by evidence of record.,The Veteran's service connection claims for vertigo, seizure disorder, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability (lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar spondylolisthesis, and spondylosis with radiculopathy), diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, bilateral eye disability, tinnitus, hypertension, chronic memory loss disability, chronic headache disability, major depressive disorder, right foot disability, right knee disability, arthritis, left foot disability, left knee disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability are denied.