Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected restrictive lung disease, leading to a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for headaches, lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, and left knee disability due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to readjudicate the claims for service connection for low back disability, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. The Veteran's inconsistent statements have led to a finding of not being an accurate historian.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spondylosis is being remanded due to the failure to appear for a VA examination and lack of proper notice.

The Veteran's cervical strain disability is rated at 10 percent, and the lumbosacral strain with sacroiliac injury is also rated at 10 percent. Both conditions are denied for an increased rating.,Both service-connected disabilities have been rated based on their current functional limitations without considering any presumptive exposure or secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation at the housebound rate prior to July 19, 2021 was denied as he did not have a single service-connected disability rated at 100% or a TDIU due solely to a single disability and additional service-connected disability ratable at 60%, separate and distinct from the 100% service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right ankle, left knee, and right knee conditions. The claim for neck condition is also being remanded.

The Veteran's lumbosacral dysfunction, right lower extremity neurological disorder (including peripheral neuropathy and sciatic dysfunction), left lower extremity neurological disorder (including peripheral neuropathy and sciatic dysfunction), and right hip disability are all found to be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and a left great toe disability, finding that there was no credible evidence of a continuity of symptoms from service.

The Veteran's low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, left hand disability (claimed as pain), and right wrist disability are all granted service connection. However, the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and left hand disability (claimed as pain) were denied due to lack of a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for a TERA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disease of the lumbar spine is now rated at 40 percent, effective June 4, 2019. The rating for right lumbar radiculopathy remains at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to a duty to assist error in providing the Veteran with a VA examination prior to the January 2019 RAMP rating decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and neck conditions due to inadequate examination reports, failure to provide a VA examination addressing the relationship between the claimed disabilities and service or service-connected disabilities, and other procedural issues.

The Veteran's appeal for several disability ratings and an earlier effective date has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric conditions, DJD of the lumbar spine, and DJD of the cervical spine are granted service connection. Service connection for prostate cancer is also granted due to exposure to herbicide agents including Agent Orange during his Vietnam War service.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus, finding that his current back condition is aggravated by his service-connected foot condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disorder, fibromyalgia condition, right and left ankle disorders. The claims are being returned for new VA medical opinions considering the Veteran's exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional medical records, schedule a VA examination, and readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar degenerative joint disease with IVDS are being remanded due to inadequate medical evidence in the prior decisions. The VA is instructed to provide an appropriate examination and assess the current severity of the service-connected condition.