Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, poor body alignment, left knee pain, a back disorder (claimed as back pain), and a right knee disorder (claimed as right knee pain) has been granted. The effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral pes planus is July 16, 2012.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right wrist, and left wrist disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions.,Service connection is not granted as there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there is no credible evidence linking his current condition to his military service. The Board also found no evidence of continuity of symptomatology or aggravation by his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of a disability that meets the criteria for a hearing loss disability in accordance with VA standards.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has also been denied, as his tinnitus already receives the maximum schedular rating available under VA regulations.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted with a 40% rating, and his radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities is also granted. The TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left lower extremity radiculopathy, left hip and knee DJD, and lumbar spine DJD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since October 22, 2014.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable evaluation for sarcoidosis was denied. The Board found that his sarcoidosis did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as it did not result in persistent symptoms requiring treatment with corticosteroids, cor pulmonale, cardiac involvement, or progressive pulmonary disease.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation prior to March 8, 2022 for tension headaches was denied. The Board found that his headaches did not meet the criteria for a 10 percent rating as they did not result in characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Veteran's service-connected low back degenerative joint disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and posttraumatic stress disorder prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from July 19, 2004 to October 10, 2004. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities make it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, low back, and neck disorders due to inadequate compliance with prior remand directives. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded as a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) was not issued.

The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to January 28, 2011, due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to outstanding records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete VA examinations, lack of good cause for missing them, and need for additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and associated lumbar radiculopathy are remanded due to insufficient development of evidence. The AOJ is instructed to search for missing service records and provide a new opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding the onset and causation of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased rating and TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to February 27, 1998, due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability during that period.

The Veteran's appeal for a lower back disorder was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal during the April 2023 hearing.,Service connection is granted for right foot onychomycosis, with the Board finding that the condition began in service and has persisted since then.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating issues related to back, left hip, right leg, and right hip disabilities due to her withdrawal of these claims.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating.,For the period prior to June 27, 2021, the Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was rated at 10 percent, and for the period from June 27, 2021, it was rated at 20 percent. The Board denied higher ratings.,For the period prior to June 27, 2021, the Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was rated at 10 percent, and for the period from June 27, 2021, it was rated at 20 percent. The Board denied higher ratings.

The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a back condition is granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for residuals of right index finger laceration is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is granted a 40 percent rating, but no higher, for the period prior to June 10, 2019. The Veteran's service-connected radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are each denied ratings in excess of 20 percent.