Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot disability, hypertension secondary to lumbar spine and radiculopathy left lower extremity, and increased ratings for urinary urge incontinence, degenerative arthritis with herniated disc and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and radiculopathy, left lower extremity. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine (claimed as back condition) is denied, with his case being remanded on other issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back condition, bilateral pes planus, and obstructive sleep apnea have been granted. The claim of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD has been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the claims for fibromyalgia, lumbar spine disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to additional development being necessary. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence of record.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including head trauma, bilateral hip strains, back disability, right thigh disability, and left thigh disability. The reasons for remand include new evidence submitted after the issuance of a statement of the case (SOC), failure to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) with additional evidence, and need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for right upper extremity and left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy have been denied.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus has been granted a 20% rating effective October 28, 2019. The ratings for the left and right lower extremities diabetic neuropathies affecting the sciatic nerve are also granted with the same effective date.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and requires a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back condition is related to his service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that new evidence received after the October 2019 rating decision supports this claim. The Veteran's in-service exposure to whole body vibrations from helicopter engines is considered relevant to his current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's IHD, diabetes, and hypertension are granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure. The low back disorder, bladder disorder, and thyroid disorder claims are remanded for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and GERD. The Veteran was awarded ratings of 20%, 50%, 30%, and 30% respectively.

Effective April 1, 2015, the Veteran is granted service connection for his back disability and left hip osteoarthritis conditions. The effective date was set based on a claim filed in March 2015 for these conditions as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will need to obtain a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's LLE nerve pain is related to his service-connected lumbar spine strain.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's hip, spine, and erectile dysfunction disorders. The claims for service connection will be remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for low back and cervical spine conditions due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding symptomatology, continuity of care, and treatment. A new VA examination is needed.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding service connection for various conditions as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), low back disability, and sinusitis have been denied. The claim for chronic headaches is remanded.

The Board has restored the Veteran's lumbar spine disability rating from 20 percent to 20 percent effective August 30, 2021.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tension headaches and TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities have been granted. The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a combined disability evaluation of 80 percent, which qualifies him for TDIU.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and bilateral foot disability, to include plantar fasciitis. The appeals have been dismissed.