Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and bilateral hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in a prior decision. The VA examiner must address whether these conditions are related to active duty service, delayed post-traumatic manifestations of injuries sustained during service, or caused by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's neck disability is rated at a 20 percent rating effective February 10, 2021. The rating for the inguinal hernia was remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a back disability, as secondary to a right knee disability due to incomplete records. The VA will obtain additional medical records and provide an addendum opinion on the etiology of the right knee disability and another VA examination regarding the nature and etiology of the back disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating of spine disability has been denied. The Board found the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 21, 2018, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter. His claim for service connection for plantar fasciitis was remanded due to insufficient opinions from VA examiners.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including fibromyalgia and lumbar spine disability, rendered her unable to secure and maintain substantial gainful employment as of May 30, 2012. The Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has granted service connection for neck, low back, right shoulder, left shoulder, and left knee disabilities. The left ankle disability is also granted as arthritis.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, effective January 21, 2020. The radiculopathy of the right lower extremity remains under review.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 15, 2013 for the award of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The portion of the decision that dismissed entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to December 6, 2016, is vacated.

The Veteran's death was not due to willful misconduct, but his death was not the result of a condition that he had been rated as totally disabled for at least 10 years prior to his death. The appeal is remanded to obtain outstanding treatment records.

The appeal for service connection for a low back disability is dismissed.,Service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension are granted due to exposure to herbicide agents, with the PACT Act providing presumptive service connection for hypertension. Service connection for PTSD is also granted based on in-service combat experience.,Remanded issues: service connection for fragment wounds to the left arm, right arm, and head.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his thoracolumbar spine disability and TDIU prior to July 13, 2012 is being remanded due to the need for further development.

The appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis is dismissed. The appeals for service connection for cold injury residuals to the feet, lumbosacral strain, gastrointestinal condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, and hypertension are all remanded.

The appeal for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was dismissed.,The application to reopen the claim for Degenerative Joint Disease with IVDS of the Lumbar Spine is granted, and service connection is established.,The application to reopen the claim for Sleep Apnea is granted, and service connection is established as secondary to PTSD.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for COPD as it had already been granted. The Veteran was granted entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability due to the lack of a VA examination and the need to determine if his current back condition is related to his active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left elbow, hip, shoulder, lumbar spine, bilateral hand, right hip, and right shoulder conditions, all of which are deemed to be direct service-connected rather than presumptively related due to Gulf War exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for higher evaluations for his cervical and thoracolumbar spine conditions has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his spinal conditions, particularly during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in medical opinions and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, is being reviewed for service connection as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine degenerative arthritis.

Your service connection claims for low back disorder and sleep apnea have been granted, with a rating of 50% for sleep apnea effective April 7, 2021. The appeal is dismissed as there are no remaining issues to be decided.

The Veteran's claim for PCAFC benefits was remanded due to inadequate notice and the need for clarification of which criteria were unmet. The Board found that his combined rating is more than 70 percent, but the decisions did not clearly indicate which requirements were met or unmet.