Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is etiologically related to his military service and grants entitlement to service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder. The claim will be reconsidered with a new medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity neurologic impairment of the sciatic nerve. The remaining issues, including those related to other lower extremity nerves or right lower extremity, are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to address whether the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric condition or obstructive sleep apnea, and to determine the current severity of his lumbar spine condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to unclear measurements in a VA examination report and the need for clarification regarding pain points, ankylosis, and treatment records. The issues of entitlement to higher evaluations for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, IVDS, and TDIU are pending.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 3, 1992 for the assignment of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability was reopened and granted, as new evidence related to the left groin injury has been submitted.,Service connection for adjustment disorder with depressed mood was also granted, attributed to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a left groin (thigh) injury.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted, and the effective date is September 7, 2010. Fees were awarded to both C.L. and A.G., with a 17.39% fee for A.G. and a 2.61% fee for C.L.

The Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for bladder impairment associated with lumbosacral degenerative arthritis with lumbar spasm with IVDS is denied. The initial 10 percent rating for costochondritis with rib subluxation and left breast numbness prior to September 22, 2014, is granted, but the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, and lumbar spine disability has been reopened. Service connection is granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and depression) and tinnitus. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including chronic diarrhea, status post left hand surgery disorder, a back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims were not supported by new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sinus condition was dismissed as the grant of service connection in August 2022 resulted in a full grant of benefits sought on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also dismissed as the RO granted service connection effective December 17, 2016.

The appeals regarding left upper extremity CTS, right upper extremity CTS, and low back condition are dismissed. The appeal for erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for her right hip, left hip, left knee, and lower back conditions due to incomplete development. The issues are currently pending further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is rated at 40 percent, effective December 11, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral spine disability, left knee disability, GERD, and skin disorder. These conditions are all presumed to have had their initial onset before the end of the Veteran's qualifying period of service in November 1999.,The decision is based on medical evidence that indicates these disabilities were present prior to the conclusion of the Veteran's qualifying service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine has been dismissed because he opted into the Appeals Modernization Act system.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20% and denied for an increased rating. Other disabilities are also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for left and right carpal tunnel syndrome has been withdrawn.,For the period prior to June 19, 2017, his cervical spine disability is not shown to meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disability. The AOJ must secure an addendum opinion from a clinician that addresses whether the Veteran's back disability preexisted service, if it did, whether there is clear and unmistakable evidence (CUE) that the preexisting condition was not aggravated beyond its natural progression during service, and if not, whether it is at least as likely as not related to service.