Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination. The issue of TDIU is also remanded as it is intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability is being remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation and opinion regarding functional ankylosis.

The Board has granted service connection for left wrist arthritis, left hand arthritis, and a lumbar spine disability. The conditions are deemed to have started during active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities due to outstanding records and inadequate examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition was previously rated at 10 percent, but is now rated at 40 percent effective May 10, 2023.,Both knees are currently evaluated as 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and tinnitus, prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board found that the criteria for a TDIU were met beginning April 2, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease causing the condition and concluding that his current back disability is not related to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury other than migraine headaches was denied as there is no current disability related to such injuries. The Veteran's thoracolumbar DDD was remanded due to the need for further development and evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed right hip, back, upper extremity neuropathy, and left shoulder disorders are not related to service. The conditions were first noted years after service and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, has not met the criteria for a higher rating since June 30, 2013. The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s symptoms have not resulted in forward thoracolumbar flexion limited to 30 degrees or less or ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for respiratory disorders, low back disorder, and left knee disorder due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's low back strain with spurring, right leg disability (pain in legs and numbness in toes), right groin disability (incisional hernia due to iliofemoral bypass), and left wrist tendonitis are all remanded for further development.,Specifically, the Board finds that relevant service treatment records were not obtained prior to the May 2009 rating decision, which denied the original claims. The Veteran's right groin disability claim also requires a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability, low back disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the low back disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injuries and continuous symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the application to reopen the claim for a back disability has been dismissed. The applications to reopen the claims for sleep apnea and PTSD have been granted. The application to reopen the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) is also granted. The rating for residuals of fracture of the 4th finger of the right hand remains unchanged.

Your appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran died before a decision could be made. The Board does not have jurisdiction to proceed with this case.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss sufficient for VA purposes.,Service connection was granted for the low back condition, with a diagnosis of unspecified depressive disorder.

Service connection for prostate cancer is granted without application of the PACT Act. A rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right knee, cataract, and lower back disabilities are being addressed.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, and low back condition have been reopened due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board finds that his current obstructive sleep apnea is related to service, while his acquired psychiatric disorder and low back condition are not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and will need to obtain records from providers who treated the Veteran's low back condition in 2003-2004.