Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is related to his service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's back condition has increased in severity, and it warrants a higher rating than the 10 percent the RO awarded him. The Board finds that the December 2017 VA examination is inadequate for rating purposes due to not complying with the requirements of Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board denied service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome. The appellant's preexisting scoliosis was found to have clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and not been aggravated by service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and right shoulder disorder, finding that new and material evidence supports these claims. Service connection is granted for mild facet arthrosis of the lumbar spine and right shoulder acromioclavicular joint degenerative changes.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, but a higher 40 percent rating is granted from November 8, 2019 to February 6, 2020.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of anemia, degenerative disc disease, hypertension, and heart murmur have been withdrawn. The appeal as to these issues is dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for sleep apnea, sinus disability (variously diagnosed as sinusitis and rhinitis), nasoseptal deformity, and right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and relationship of the Veteran's conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied, with the effective dates of the grants being October 18, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his thoracic and lumbar spine strain with IVDS is remanded due to inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's cervical strain is granted service connection. Service connection for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as chronic low back strain, are denied. The Veteran's rectovaginal fistula rating is remanded due to lack of VA treatment records. Service connection for a bowel condition is also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for neck disorder, back disorder, left upper and lower extremity radiculopathy, right ankle condition, bilateral carotid artery disease, COPD, and tinnitus.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service event that supports the Veteran's claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that it is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 20% prior to August 27, 2021. The appeal for a higher rating has been denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted an increased rating to 40 percent, and service connection is granted for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. Service connection is also granted for right and left shoulder disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, bilateral foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and therefore service connection is denied.,The issue of entitlement to service connection for insomnia was granted as 'PTSD, claimed as insomnia,' in an August 2019 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a back disability and erectile dysfunction due to service connection issues. The back claim is related to in-service injuries, while the erectile dysfunction claim requires a TERA examination as it may be linked to toxic exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed. The issues of TDIU, severance of service connection for residuals of a TBI and headache disorder, reduction of rating for acquired psychiatric disorder, and remand for additional determinations on various conditions have been addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremity (sciatic nerve) alone supports a TDIU, and his combined rating exceeds 60 percent without this condition. Therefore, SMC based on a single service-connected disability rated as total is granted.

The Veteran's low back pain and dysfunction, neck pain and dysfunction, right hip pain and dysfunction, and left hip pain and dysfunction are all granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder (posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, other specified trauma/stressor related disorder) is also granted as service-connected.