Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for upper back and middle/lower back conditions due to insufficient evidence of a link between his current disabilities and military service. The Veteran testified about an in-service slip and fall injury, but VA did not obtain private medical records or request a VA examination.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection of cervical spine, lower back, right ankle, and right wrist disabilities. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's tinnitus, right ankle disorder, right knee disorder, and back disorder are not service-connected.,The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion regarding his service-connected ankle condition and its relationship to his diagnosed degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and a TDIU is granted for the period prior to October 4, 2021.

The Board has found a duty to assist error due to the Veteran's cancellation of a VA examination, and thus the case is being remanded for the Veteran to be afforded a new VA examination to assess his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in a VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's back condition and his service, as well as its relation to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and that any back pain experienced by the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a disability. The Board also found that the Veteran's in-service injury had resolved and that he did not have continuous symptoms since service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than July 17, 2012 for the grant of service connection for cervical spine DDD/herniation and radiculopathy, right upper extremity.,There was no formal or informal claim filed before July 17, 2012. The Veteran's representative argued that the effective date should go back to May 2007 based on new service treatment records submitted in June 2015.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for the Veteran's claimed low back, left hip, left leg, left foot, and left toe disabilities as they were not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are related to his service, specifically his active duty as a Crew Chief, In-Flight Refueling Specialist (boom operator), and Aircraft Loadmaster. The appeal is being remanded for further examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to August 1, 2017, for service connection for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability is granted with an effective date of August 1, 2017.,The Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee disability, and right knee disability are granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and right shoulder disability are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and remanded the right foot disability claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, low back disability, right ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and/or depression), and prostate disability due to service. The AOJ is directed to schedule examinations and obtain medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a back disorder due to insufficient medical opinions and potential scheduling errors. The Veteran's back pain is alleged to be related to his service-connected right knee.

The Board has ordered remand for additional opinions regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disorder and low back disorder. The issues are being returned to the AOJ for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disorder, diagnosed as lumbar degenerative disc disease. The issue of entitlement to VA nonservice-connected pension benefits and special monthly pension is being remanded.

The appeals seeking increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative joint disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine have been dismissed. The issues of service connection for a left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, right hand/wrist disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and foot disability (including pes planus and plantar fasciitis) are remanded.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, bilateral pes planus, and lumbar spine DDD are granted.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a lower back disorder, finding that the obesity aggravated by the service-connected left knee disability was a substantial factor in causing these conditions.