Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar strain and myositis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle fracture.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral athlete's foot/toenail fungus, tinea cruris (jock itch), left knee disability, right hand arthritis, left hand arthritis, bladder disorder, atrial fibrillation, and low back disability.,There is no evidence of current diagnoses related to the claimed conditions at any time since the claims were filed.

Your appeals for service connection have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn them.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims for further development due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The remaining issues are related to right wrist, shoulder, and low back conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of lumbosacral strain is related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, but the issues are dismissed as moot due to prior grant of benefits.,The Veteran's claims for treatment purposes under 38 U.S.C. chapter 17 for various conditions remain pending and will be remanded.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded all other claims due to incomplete or insufficient evidence.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right and left total knee replacements, but granted SMC based on a need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of spondylolisthesis L5-S1 (claimed as low back pain) due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, tinnitus, headaches, allergic rhinitis, and OSA are all granted.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss due to the dismissal of the appeal.

The Board dismissed the appeals for various conditions and issues as they were found to be duplicative.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety was granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for low back condition was granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, left leg numbness (paraplegic), right leg numbness (paraplegic), and bilateral foot condition were remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of February 26, 2010. Effective that date, the Veteran is granted an effective date for his TDIU and eligibility to Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The decision also noted that some issues, such as right knee instability and thoracolumbar scoliosis with DDD and IVDS, are currently rated appropriately.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluation of right knee chondromalacia was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to March 2018. The appeals for left knee condition, hypertension, lower back with bulging disc (now claimed as low back condition), sleep apnea, and right hip trochanteric bursitis, mild osteoarthritis were all denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that his current condition was not aggravated by military service and that the pre-existing disability did not worsen beyond its natural progression.

The Veteran's lumbosacral radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is granted a 20% rating, effective February 7, 2012. The Veteran's surgical scar of the lumbosacral spine is granted a 10% rating on and after September 19, 2019. The reduction in the rating for lumbosacral degenerative disc and joint disease from 20% to 10% is restored.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, left index finger disability, eye disability (flash burn in eyes), low back disability, and right shoulder disability are all denied. The AOJ is directed to provide VA examinations or obtain additional medical opinions regarding these claims.,The Veteran's service connection claim for a left index finger disability remains pending as the AOJ has not provided a VA examination.

The Veteran's hypertension, heart disorder, urinary tract disorder, low back disorder, right hip disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder are presumed to be related to his service due to herbicide exposure. However, the claims for these conditions prior to August 10, 2022, and other than under the provisions of the PACT Act, are remanded as new evidence is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, service connection for a chest disorder (including arthritis and costochondritis), and service connection for a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration.