Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition, left hip condition, right hip condition, and sleep apnea due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Veteran's disability rating for service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was restored to 40% effective January 1, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine condition, left shoulder condition, and right shoulder condition as these conditions are considered to have originated during his active-duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent her from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation, resulting in a grant of TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination and treatment records, which may provide additional information relevant to the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for a low back disability is remanded due to inadequate examination reports and the need for further evaluation.

The Board denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant higher ratings based on his subjective complaints.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to missing or presumed destroyed service treatment records and inadequate VA opinions. The Veteran's in-service incident is also being investigated.

The Board has found that there may be outstanding VA treatment records from the Veteran's service period and remanded for their retrieval to make a fully-informed decision on his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's other specified trauma or stressor-related disorder is related to an in-service personal assault, and service connection for this condition is granted. The back disability remains under review as it may be secondary to the service-connected bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran was granted service connection for various hip and shoulder conditions, as well as radiculopathy associated with lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, all effective December 1, 2014.,No earlier effective dates were granted due to the lack of supporting evidence in the claims file at the time of the initial rating decision.

The Board has remanded several claims for increased ratings due to deficiencies in the VA examinations conducted in November 2018. The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral knee disabilities are being examined again to determine their current severity.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain all relevant VA and non-VA treatment records, including those from outside of VA healthcare systems.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar spine condition. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on multiple conditions, including PTSD, lumbosacral strain, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, gastrointestinal disability, bilateral wrist disabilities, and obstructive sleep apnea, was denied. The appeals were remanded for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding an inadequate VA examination and medical opinion for rating purposes.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for the lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, and right ankle disability is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for bilateral pes planus and erectile dysfunction was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal prior to a decision.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for left eye cataract and pterygium was granted.

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for a low back disability, to include as due to service-connected bilateral pes planus, is remanded. The decision requires additional medical opinions regarding both direct and secondary service connection theories.